Nobody Knows MeLike My Baby
by Thnx4theGum
Summary: The next chapter in the "Wonderful World" saga. The Booths have faced a lot over their 10 year partnership, but nothing could have prepared them for this. Takes place 3 years after "Behind Blue Eyes."
1. Prologue

**Hey Everyone!**

**So this little gem is something I've been working on for quite a bit now, then life got crazy and I had to put it away for a time. These characters are very close to my heart so what I've decided to do to make sure you get them at their very best is to only update once a week. Every Monday there will be a new chapter. This will also be helpful when FanFic's alert system crashes(which it does regularly now). You'll know to look for one and I'll have time to make sure what you get is quality. I figure if Hart does it for his show, I can do it too. And I don't go on hiatus as much as he does. **

**Now, sit back, relax, pop in some Lyle Lovett and enjoy Nobody Knows Me. **

**Gum :)**

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Nobody Knows Me(Like My Baby)

**Disclaimer: I own no Bones but my own, but I do like to play around in Hart Hanson's world just for fun. Maddie, Joey, and Sadie are all mine, though. :) **

Prologue

_For years afterward, even when other memories had fallen by the wayside, he could always remember the first time he'd heard her name: "Dr. Temperance Brennan." He didn't know her from Adam, but just her name intrigued him._

_Temperance, he mused as he stood in the hallway just outside her classroom, sounded like it should belong to some mousy research girl or maybe the product of hippie parents with a mild personality to match her name. Her record, though, had spoken for itself, painting a picture of a woman at the top of her game- a strong woman blazing her own trail in a field dominated by men._

_A smirk curled up one side of his mouth as he listened to her voice and played with the Zippo in his pocket, waiting to time his entrance just right. Her voice was sure and steady like she'd given the same lecture a thousand times, but there was a passion behind it too that spoke of someone who not only was good at their job, but loved it with every fiber of their being. Not what he'd expected when Cam recommended her._

_The moment he'd been waiting for came and he ran a hand through his slicked-back hair before opening the door and slipping in. There was a dead body in a case on the stage, but he only had eyes for her. Pausing in the aisle he drank in the sight of her- beauty and brains never looked so good and he was enraptured._

_The word 'defleshing' fell from her voluptuous lips and he shook himself mentally, reminding himself that he hadn't come just to ogle her, and his hand shot up. Heads turned at the sound of his voice, seeking the source of the interruption, then shifted back to her when she met his challenge with her cool logic, never missing a step. Far from intimidating him, he pushed again, full of cocky arrogance, and again she didn't back down._

_By this time his feet had taken him to the front of the classroom and he was standing close enough for the scent of her perfume to make his nostrils flare and his pupils dilate. She was even hotter up close and the banter between them was charged. His heart was racing, blood pounding in his ears, making it hard to focus._

_"Do you believe in fate?" he grinned smugly at the woman he knew he would go to hell and back for to make her his for the rest of their lives._

_"Absolutely not," her lips quirked, voice as stubborn as always though her eyes danced with mischief at the secret they now shared._

_As one they turned to face the class, some of whom were scribbling away furiously in their notebooks while others stared slack-jawed at what had just played out in front of them._

_The roar in his ears was still there and she tilted her head, concern fast replacing her amusement. He tried to form thoughts into words. Failed. All of a sudden the floor came rushing up to meet him. The last thing he heard before the darkness swallowed him was her voice screaming his name._


	2. Smells Like Teen Spirit

_Before the fall..._

Smells Like Teen Spirit

"Aw, com' on, Dad! You're not serious are you?" the plaintive cry was given as the car doors slammed shut. "What am I supposed to do with them if I can't wear them?"

"You can wear them all you want Maddie," Seeley Booth assured his fourteen year old daughter, bringing a smile to her face. "Just not outside this house."

The scowl was back in place, "Daddy!"

"Uh uh," he shook his head. "Not gonna work. Jeans shouldn't have words scrawled across the butt- end of discussion."

"Mom!" Maddie called as soon as they entered the house.

Booth shook his head but let her go and checked his watch, "Parks! Joey! Let's go. Chop, chop!"

"Me too!" eight year-old Sadie squealed, jumping up from the couch and scrambling for her sneakers.

"You gonna practice with Joey or play with me, Squirt?" Parker teased, hefting his gym bag over his shoulder.

"Girls can play football too," she insisted. "I beat Joey in wind sprints yesterday."

"Total fluke," the accused eleven year old waved it off, lugging his own bag. "I can beat you any day of the week, little sis."

"Except yesterday," she smirked.

"You two," Booth pointed at the boys, "car. And you," he turned to Sadie, "wait here while I talk to your mom."

Once he was sure his orders were being followed he headed to the back of the house where he found his wife in the kitchen loading up a cooler full of food.

"Mmm," he said, coming up behind her.

"This food is for later," she informed him, standing up all the way.

"Not what I was commenting on, Bones," he winked, leaning in to kiss her and giving her a quick slap on the rear when he was done.

"Ironic, given what Maddie's current consternation stems from," she laughed as they parted, shaking her head and going to get more food.

"When Maddie's forty-something and married she can wear whatever she wants," he said, snatching a sandwich for the road. "Why? Do you think I'm being too hard on her?"

"I think," she snatched the sandwich back, replacing it in the cooler and closing the lid with a snap, "that she's fourteen. And we need to choose the issues we address carefully."

"Yeah, but-"

"Are you guys kissing or something 'cause we're gonna be late!" Sadie came barreling into the kitchen.

"You interrupted," Temperance lifted an eyebrow at her daughter and waited for her to apologize. "Thank you," she said when it came, "now, I presume you're going with your father to Joey's practice and then will meet Maddie and I at Parker's exhibition game?"

"You're coming too?" she grinned.

"I certainly am not packing all of this food just for myself," her mother smiled, shaking her head.

"Parker's gonna kick as-"

"Hey, look at that, we're gonna be late," Booth took Sadie's shoulders and steered her out of the room. "See you there, Bones!"

Temperance rolled her eyes and made a mental note to talk to the young girl- again- about appropriate language; though she supposed with the number of sporting events Sadie had watched with her father and brothers over the years it could be worse.

B&B&B&B&B

Maddie Booth watched from her bedroom window as her brothers stowed their gear in the SUV and started tossing around a football while they waited to leave. A small smile curved on her lips as she watched them laughing together and part of her wished she was down there with them, though catching a glimpse of the August heat rippling in waves off of the driveway made her think twice.

There was a loud shout as Sadie burst from the front door out onto the lawn, followed soon after by their father. The boys started lobbing the ball over the little girl's head just out of her reach, teasing her as she dashed from one to the other and jumped as high as she could. Finally tired of running back and forth, she plowed into Joey, knocking him off of his feet in time to turn around and neatly catch the ball.

Sadie stuck her tongue out at her brother, then gave Parker and their dad a high five. It was Dad who helped Joey to his feet and brushed him off, whispering something in his ear that made the grin come back. Maddie guessed what it was when Joey ran right to the front seat and hopped in; a seat usually reserved only for their mom even when she wasn't in the car.

"They're going to be late," Mom entered the room with a soft knock and a shake of her head as she followed Maddie's gaze out the window.

"Not if Dad uses the siren," Maddie said knowingly.

They watched together as the SUV pulled out of the driveway and sure enough, the siren lights flashed as soon as they'd rounded the corner in the road.

"That man still thinks that I'm blind," Mom shook her head in mock disgust. "Waiting until he _thinks_ he's out of sight to use it, but if I'm late for something all I get is a noble speech about the misuse of government property."

"Pretty much," mother and daughter shared a smile.

"You know you'll have to change before we leave?" Mom said gently.

Maddie sighed dramatically and nodded, "What's the big deal, anyway? I mean, you were there when I bought them."

"And I warned you he might be opposed to you wearing them," she reminded her, as she sat down on Sadie's bed across from her oldest daughter. "You were the one who chose to take that calculated risk."

It wasn't like this was news to the teen and she nodded grudgingly, but added, "Dad's been acting weird lately. Like the clothes thing and giving me random advice about boys. Not that he didn't tease about stuff like that before but now he gets all serious on me. Like he doesn't trust me or something."

"I think your father is realizing that you'll be starting high school in a week," her mother smiled, "and I believe I can tell you with some confidence that it is not you he doesn't trust. It's the teenage boys and their biological urges."

"So why not lecture Parker?" Maddie rolled her eyes. "He's the boy, not me."

"I believe he has talked with your brother several times as well, though in much more vague terms, of course," she shifted on the bed. "From a young age Parker has been taught to treat women and girls with the same respect Seeley has for them. What he's attempting to do for you is give you the tools to protect yourself from unwanted sexual advances."

"He'd follow me in the halls if he could," was the casual reply.

"He protects those he loves," her mother said gently.

Maddie nodded, her face became thoughtful, eyes flicking to the well-worn stuffed dolphin half hidden by her more grown-up comforter. "I can remember seeing him when you guys came to the door," she said softly, "and how nice he was to Joey when he broke that plate, and when he told me that I shouldn't hate our grandparents for what they did to us. He gave me his card that night with his picture and I remember that when I'd get sad I'd just look at it and know that you guys were real. That you would come if there was trouble."

"Leaving the three of you with Child Services was incredibly difficult," the scientist admitted.

"For me too," Maddie agreed. "I was so happy when you came back for us."

A contemplative silence fell as they were both swept away by the memories.

Maddie looked up as her mom cleared her throat and spoke, "We should leave soon."

"Ugh," Maddie groaned, "Are you sure? It's burning up out there."

"Why do you think I made sure it was your father who had to attend both Joey's practice and Parker's game?" she smirked.


	3. I Think About You Collin Raye

I Think About You (Collin Raye)

Booth made it to the school's campus with plenty of time to spare; though he realized how fortunate he was to have only one location to have to drive to this year. With Parker moving up into high school and looking toward college, he and Becca had sat down at the beginning of the summer and discussed their options. The public school he'd be going to wasn't the worst in the metro area, but it wasn't the best either.

Park Hollow Academy, where Maddie and Sadie attended, however, _was_ a great school; though it cost a pretty penny and neither one of them was sure if it was the right move to make. When they'd reached a stalemate between the two of them, they'd brought Parker in on the decision and to their surprise he'd chosen Park Hollow. The fact that their sports program was almost as highly touted as their academics didn't hurt either, and it was probably no coincidence that the first thing the teenager had done after they enrolled him was hand his parents the waiver for football.

So now Booth found himself driving on the Academy's private road that linked the elementary, middle, and high schools together, past the schools, and the new science lab, and planetarium buildings, to the enormous maze of sports fields. Eventually, he found the correct high school practice field and dropped Parker off to get ready for the game, then went on another search for the middle school field.

As soon as he found out that Parker would be going to the same school as his sisters, Joey had had no problem switching schools too. Joey had been ecstatic when he'd made the team as a second string receiver and had devoured the playbook the coach had given them at the first practice. He wasn't the biggest guy on the field, but what he lacked in height he made up for in grit and determination; even during the long, hot August practices. He was also one of only four, sixth-graders that made the final roster cut.

Booth leaned back in the bleachers at the middle school football field watching the young coach put his even younger team through their paces. Despite the heat, Booth was enjoying watching his youngest son learn how to play the game at a more complex level than his Pop Warner team had played at in the past and he could tell the improvements the boy was making already.

"Is it almost over?" a breathless Sadie asked, plopping down beside him.

"In a few minutes," he answered. "Why the rush?"

"Well, practices are okay, I guess," she shrugged. "But I wanna see a real game."

Booth chuckled, but said nothing about the fact that Sadie really hadn't been watching the practice at all anyway. They had only been there a few minutes when one of her school friends, who also had a brother on the team, asked her if she wanted to go play on the elementary school's playground on the other side of the field. The girl's mom had offered to take them and Sadie had skipped away gleefully.

"When's Mommy coming?" she wanted to know next. "Is Maddie coming too?"

"They should both be here any time now," smiled Booth, "but they'll be over at the other field with Parker."

"It's not fair," Sadie swung her legs back and forth listlessly.

"What's not?" asked Booth, bracing for another 'girls in sports' commentary.

Sadie looked up at him, a slight pout on her face, "Well, Joey gets to start middle school, and Parker and Maddie get to start high school, but I'm only starting 3rd grade so I have to stay in the same old building as last year."

Booth put his arm around her with a soft smile, "But your friends are in 3rd grade, right?" Sadie nodded. "And it would be pretty lonely without them, wouldn't it?"

"Maybe," Sadie acceded. "I hope I grow up fast this year, though."

"Tell you what," Booth employed his biggest charm smile. "You stay in 3rd grade and you and me will still go on our Friday morning donut runs."

"And you'll take me to school?" the little girl bounced in her seat. "All by myself?"

"All by yourself," he promised, and was rewarded with a hug that nearly knocked him over.

In front of them the practice came to an end and the boys crowded around the water coolers before looking around for their parents. Joey had his helmet tucked under one arm and gave Sadie a sweaty hug as she and Booth came down from the bleachers.

"Ew," squealed Sadie, twisting away as quickly as she could. "You stink!"

Joey stepped forward as if he were going to hug her again and Booth put a halt to it before things got out of hand. He passed the boy his gym bag and sent him to go shower and change so they could make it to the other field on time.

_We're here_, the text message from Bones came in as they waited for Joey near the car. _Where are you?"_

**Still at the other field,** he sent back. **Joey's in the locker room.**

"Is that Mommy?" asked Sadie, bouncing up and down.

"Yeah," Booth answered as he read. "They're getting us seats right now and we'll meet them when Joey comes out."

"Are we gonna miss the start?"

"Nah, we've got another twenty minutes at least," he told her.

Sadie asked at least five more questions before Joey came out and Booth breathed a sigh of relief when she switched her focus to her bother. Even she was struck speechless, though, as they drove past the practice field and toward the main complex.

Where the middle school field had been just as good, if not a little better than the field Booth had played on in high school, Park Hollow's field rivaled his _college's_ stadium. Admission was free for this game, but he noticed the price list for the rest of the season was posted in multiple locations. It seemed kinda pricey to him, though once they got in, he could see that the money was well-spent.

"This place is HUGE!" exclaimed Sadie.

Booth had concluded the same thing and was texting Bones for the location of their seats. His eyes scanned the stands until he caught sight of her waving and waved back, sending one last message.

"Okay," he took Sadie's hand once he'd finished, "you two stick close to me."

By now, the stadium was starting to fill up and they had to fight through the crowd at a few points, but they finally made to the section Bones had named and began the long, steep climb up the steps to their seats.

B&B&B&B&B&B

"There they are," Maddie pointed to three small figures emerging from the stadium's lower level.

Temperance looked, then nodded, and let her daughter stand up and wave for their attention. It had been obvious when they arrived that they would not be able to haul up the large cooler she had packed, so they'd redistributed everything into the insulated cloth grocery bags she always kept in her car and had brought the food in that way.

At first she'd been unsure what seats to select, but in his text Booth had suggested that midfield and about half-way up in the stands would provide them with a good vantage point, so she had done the best she could and indeed, the view seemed to be ideal. That she had ended up on the correct side of the stadium to root for Parker's team was purely by chance and it was a good thing for she had no compunction to transport the food any further than she already had.

Temperance heard the rest of her family before she saw them as Sadie and Joey marveled at the field. The younger girl immediately dashed over to her sister for a hug, then wanted to know where everyone was sitting. After much jostling, Joey settled down at one end of the row and Temperance at the other, with Maddie, Sadie, and Seeley in-between them. The two open seats next to Joey and nearest the aisle were saved for Rebecca and Drew, who arrived not long after the seating arrangement was decided.

A clamor went up from the two youngest ones for food and she directed them to the appropriate bags, informing Joey that she had packed an extra bottle of water for him should he need it.

"Are you alright?" she asked an unusually quiet and fatigued-looking Seeley once the food distribution was taken care of and he'd had a chance to finish the sub she'd made for him.

"Yeah," he nodded, taking a swig of his water. "We had to walk pretty far in from the parking lot and it took a while to find you. Forget the fact that I've been on the run all day and the temperature's only about two degrees lower than the surface of the sun. But now," he grinned, stretching his arm to wrap around her shoulder and settling back into the seat, "I'm going to relax with my beautiful wife and watch the game."

"Who's playing, Daddy?" piped up Sadie from his other side.

"Well, in high school," he explained, "you've got three teams that play for the school: Freshman, JV, and Varsity. Parker's on the Freshman team and tonight they're playing the JV team."

Temperance listened with half an ear as he went on to explain some of the other nuances of high school football, though for the most part she simply enjoyed his presence. He had been correct about it being a busy day and she felt as if she'd barely seen him at all.

Today was the final day of the week-long vacation they'd taken from work. Monday was the first day of school for the children, while she and Seeley would use the coming week to prepare the last of the details for the new class of agents and scientists being sent to them for training the following Monday. This morning, he'd volunteered to take Maddie to the library when she'd asked. She doubted Seeley had anticipated just how long Maddie would take, and by the time father and daughter had come home from the diner, Parker and Joey had needed to leave for football. Just before he'd left the anthropologist had offered to swap roles, but by then he felt as if he'd be letting the boys down, not to mention the little girl who'd been pining for her father all morning.

"I missed you," his lowered voice sounded in her ear once Sadie's attention was fixed back on the pre-game festivities taking place on the field.

"The feeling is mutual," she smiled.

"At least we have the whole weekend to recover before school starts on Monday," he commented. "And you guys got the last of the school shopping done yesterday, right?"

She nodded her head, "I think it'd be wise to get our grocery shopping taken care of tomorrow, though. The beginning of the week will be hectic as it is."

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Seeley. "I vote we leave Maddie home in charge of the younger two, though, so we're not there all day."

"I'll second that." Grocery shopping always went much faster when Sadie and Joey stayed home.

"Guys! Guys!" Sadie interrupted, "The game's about to start!"


	4. Are You Ready For Some Football?

Are You Ready For Some Football?

The game, to no one's surprise, was more of a rout than anything else. The first of the eight-minute quarters wasn't too bad all things considered. Parker's team scored a touchdown early on, but the freshmen were smaller, slower, and much less coordinated as a team than their JV counterparts; some of whom looked like men rather than boys.

By half-time it was clear who was going to win and the freshmen who had started the game full of vigor and confidence were now weary and humbled. As per the guidelines both teams had agreed to for the practice game, it was all second-string players out on the field for the last two quarters.

Booth moved to the edge of his seat as Parker took his first snap as a high school quarterback, then winced when the offensive line collapsed and he took his first hit. To his credit, Parker got right back up and took charge of the huddle to refocus his teammates. This time when the ball was snapped the play went off without a hitch, though they only gained a few yards. It was enough to buoy their flagging spirits for the moment and that only increased as they made their way slowly down the field. Parker still took a few hard knocks, but the JV second-string team was closer to the freshmen's size, so it was more of a fair match-up.

Years of pitching for his Little League teams and playing quarterback since his first season in Pop Warner ball meant that Parker's arm was well conditioned and that he was fairly comfortable leading his team when they were on the field. They didn't end up scoring on that first possession, but they got close and on the second drive Parker connected with his receiver down-field for a touchdown that cause the freshman side of the stands to erupt with a loud cheer. It was the only touchdown he threw that night, but they did score two more field goals and the defense held their own as well, keeping the score lower than Booth had guessed it would be in the end.

"You were awesome, Parker!" exclaimed Sadie as the entire family gathered at the diner after the game.

"I was okay," Parker shrugged. "We still lost."

"Those guys were _huge,_ though," Sadie's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"They really were," agreed Joey. "The other teams won't be nearly that big, I'll bet."

The debate went back and forth as the three went over every play in the second half. Parker still focused on the fact that he'd been sacked over and over again and had only scored one touchdown, while Sadie and Joey pointed out that he'd also gotten them in field goal range twice.

"Hey, Parks," Maddie interrupted, elbowing him in the ribs and pointing toward the front door, "somebody's looking for you."

A girl with chestnut brown hair that hung down a little past her shoulders waved shyly at him and walked over to their table.

"Hi, Maddie," the girl smiled, though her eyes kept flicking over to Parker.

"Hey, Cara," Maddie smiled back. "You wanna sit with us?"

The four adult at the next table back hid their smiles behind their coffee mugs as the girls sat down and introductions were made.

"Cara was one of the first girls to befriend Maddie in her grade," Bones told Rebecca and Drew. "She's been over to Cara's house several times in the past."

"Something tells me Cara's going to want to come over to our place more often now," Booth winked.

The adults chuckled, drawing a few looks from the kids' table, so they quieted down and went back to their coffee and dessert.

"Parker really did do a great job out there tonight," Booth changed the subject, a proud grin on his face. "Give him a couple more years and he'll be just like his old man."

"A self-assured athlete who fornicates under the bleachers?" his wife raised an arched eyebrow at him.

Booth blanched, Drew spewed coffee across the table, and Becca smirked and gave the other woman a nod of approval. Booth stuttered trying to get a reply out, then shook his head and decided it would be safer just to eat his pie. A few minutes later, Sadie came over and climbed up in his lap, declaring that big kids were boring. Joey pulled his chair over next, claiming he was still starving and proving it by finishing another burger along with the rest of Sadie's fries.

By the time all of the food was gone, Sadie had crawled onto her mother's lap and was fast asleep. Becca and Drew announced that they needed to get going, so Booth offered to grab Parker's stuff from Bones' SUV while the kids said their goodbyes.

"I'm proud of how well you played tonight, Son," Booth told him when they were alone on the sidewalk waiting for Drew to bring the car around. "You might not have scored as much as you wanted, but you kept your cool and did a good job keeping everyone else focused too."

Parker's cheeks tinged with pink at the praise as he nodded, "Coach said the same thing. Wish he'd let me start, though."

"Hey," Booth took the teen- who could almost look him in the eye- by the shoulders, "don't worry about that, okay? Your job is to be the best quarterback you can be for your team. Whether or not you start will work itself out eventually, but don't let not having what you want keep you from doing your best."

"If I do my best then he'll start me?" he asked hopefully.

"I can't say, Parks," admitted Booth. "He might notice or he might not. What you have to decide is if you're going to let that mess with how you play the game."

There was so much more he wanted to say, but Drew pulled up and Becca jumped out, and it was time to say goodbye. He gave Parker a hearty back pounding and let him go.

"He's growing up fast," Becca commented wistfully.

"Yeah," grunted Booth as they exchanged a look only parents of the same child could.

"Here," Becca suddenly thrust a manilla folder at him.

"What's this?" he asked warily.

"Just look it over and let me know what you think, alright?" the words tumbled nervously from her lips as she turned to leave.

"Sure," he agreed.

As Drew's car drove out of sight Booth's fingers itched to see what was inside, but his family was spilling out of the diner so he did his best to keep his mind off of it. Instead, he helped Bones load the still-sleeping Sadie in Bones' car and motioned Joey to come back with him.

"See you at home," he said, leaning in through the driver's side window to give his wife a quick kiss.

"Drive safely," she smiled back.

Booth nodded and he and Joey headed back to his SUV down the street. They talked about football and how happy Joey was just to have made the team. He asked the boy if he was nervous about starting in a new school on Monday and Joey said he wasn't since he knew some of the guys from football now. He wasn't, however, looking forward to the uniform. Booth couldn't blame him there, but pointed out that _he_ had to wear a suit and tie every day; so Joey should be glad his uniform was just a polo shirt and khakis.

Before long they were all home and met very little resistance when bedtime was announced almost as soon as they walked through the door. Sadie, in fact, was still asleep and barely stirred as Booth carried her up the stairs, gently laying her down and tucking her in, though a sleepy grin spread unconsciously across her face as he laid a kiss on her brow and whispered goodnight.

He turned to find Maddie standing in the doorway, observing everything, but saying nothing as she did so often. Without hesitation he smiled and opened his arms to her, the smile widening as she stepped into them and wrapped her arms around him too.

"I love you," he murmured into her hair.

"Me too," came the muffled reply at his shoulder as the hug tightened. Maddie pulled back just far enough to look up at him before softly saying, "Sorry for earlier."

"I might've been a little harsh," Booth admitted with a shrug.

Maddie chuckled all of a sudden, "Mom talked to you too, huh?"

"Yep," he chuckled with her.

"She's awesome," Maddie's smile was wide.

Booth nodded, "I couldn't agree more."


	5. Cat's in the Cradle

Cat's in the Cradle

After giving Maddie and Joey a hug and sending them up to bed Temperance got to work cleaning up everything from the day's activities, unloading her own car, then Seeley's. Joey's sweaty gym bag, which reeked far more than any young boy's should, was the first thing to be taken care of. Once the laundry was going she moved onto the cooler, which was empty of food but still required a good cleaning. Then she began sifting through the miscellaneous items she'd picked up from the cars' floors, sorting them in piles by owner.

Not surprisingly, almost everything belonged to Sadie, the messiest member of the Booth clan, though she identified a few of Joey's things too, along with a Phillies' ball cap Parker had left behind. The last item to be sorted was an official-looking envelope with Seeley's full name typed on the front of it. Rather than leave it with the other things on the dining room table where it could be damaged, she decided to take it into the study for him.

Three years ago when the partners had accepted their new position as co-heads of a fledgling training division of the FBI, whose goal was to teach FBI agents and scientists to work together, it had quickly become evident that there was no adequate space in their house that could accommodate the heavy volume of paperwork they needed to bring home in order to maintain sensible office hours. After a month of debate, they'd concluded that an addition onto the side of the house was needed. What they'd ended up with was a spacious study that could be accessed through the living room, but was insulated well enough that no noise from the rest of the rouse could be heard once the door was shut.

Padding across the plush carpet, she crossed the study and laid the envelope on the antique roll-top desk she'd gotten for Seeley the Christmas after the room had been finished, then sat down at her own desk and booted up her laptop.

"There you are, Bones," Seeley smiled from the doorway a few minutes later.

She waved a hand in his direction but kept typing so as not to lose her train of thought. When she finished and turned around, all she could see of him were the bright stripes on his socks resting on the arm of the couch.

Two weeks ago, Cam had called, explaining that the Jeffersonian was updating all of their office furniture and she was wondering if they would be interested in the couch from Dr. Brennan's old office. It had been Seeley who had taken the call, and the couch, without bothering to consult his wife on it. Despite the fact that it looked oddly out of place beside the two leather wing-backed chairs already in the study, Seeley had stubbornly insisted that the couch should stay, until she finally relented.

"Comfortable?" she asked, peering over the back of the couch at him.

"Oh yeah," he grinned up at her. "This puppy's all broken-in already."

She rolled her eyes as she came around the side of it as that was the same argument he'd been using since he'd brought it home.

"Can't believe Cam was going to junk it otherwise," Seeley shook his head.

She could, but she kept that thought to herself as she lifted his legs up to make room for herself and sat down, allowing his legs to lay across her lap.

"So on Monday-" she began.

"Ah, ah," he cut her off, shaking his head. "It's still vacation, Bones. No work talk."

"It's Friday night," she pointed out.

"Meaning we still have Saturday and Sunday to go." To that point his eyes had been closed, but he opened them to ask, "Hey, what were you doing in here anyway? Were you _working, _Dr. Brennan, because you know that's against the rules don't you?"

"Hmph," she sniffed haughtily. "For your information, Agent Booth, I was merely checking my email and putting some of _your_ work mail on your desk so it wouldn't get lost."

"You mean the envelope from the car?" he moved to sit up, shaking his head. "That's from Becca, not work."

"What is it?" her curiosity was piqued.

"Not sure," he shrugged, groaning as he stood to retrieve it.

He scooped it up from the desk and came back around the couch. For a long moment he sat, envelope in his lap, just staring at it as if it could reveal its contents through osmosis. His eyes moved from the envelope, to Temperance, and back to his lap.

"You open it," he said finally. "It's probably just some school papers she forgot to have me sign but..."

He trailed off, eyes meeting hers and she nodded, accepting the envelope. Despite the number of years that had passed without major incident regarding Booth getting to spend time with Parker, she knew her husband wrestled often with the fear that Rebecca would transfer out of the DC Area, or suddenly revoke what little time he got to spend with his son.

Her fingernails slid under one of the top corners of the envelope, sliding along its length to break the seal. Carefully, she removed the contents, recognizing instantly that there were legal papers, but not ones from the school. A feeling of cold dread settled in her chest.

"What is it, Bones? What's the matter?" his voice was pitched, legs bouncing up and down nervously of their own volition. Busy scanning the papers, she didn't answer right away, causing his agitation to increase exponentially, "Is it for school? Is Parker okay?"

That got her attention and she dragged her eyes off of the documents and back to him, "Parker is fine and these aren't school papers." She paused, then a smile bloomed on her face, "They're custody papers."

"Custody?" he asked warily. "As in...?"

She handed the papers to him, "As in you and Rebecca are going to be sharing joint physical and legal custody of Parker."

Seeley began rifling through the legal documents, a myriad of emotions parading across his face.

"There's a note here saying she wants to meet and figure out the specifics for a schedule- like how long he stays at each place, where he goes for holidays, all that stuff." He stopped and their eyes locked, "This is really going to happen, Bones. I never thought-"

His voice clogged up with emotion and he couldn't finish, though he didn't need to. They both understood what he meant. Carefully, he straightened the stack of papers, sliding them back into the envelope. As he set it on the coffee table, his gaze was riveted to it and when he spoke again his eyes never moved.

"I never got to take him home, not really," he shook his head and she took his hand, lacing their fingers together. "It always felt like no matter how long he was there, I was just borrowing him and there was this constant pressure to make sure I taught him everything I could because pretty soon I'd have to return him. Some days I didn't even know when, or if, I'd get to see him again. And now," his watery eyes found hers, "now I can finally be there for him more than just once every other weekend."

"You can bring him home," she smiled softly at him and her lips met his in a sweet exchange of love and hope for the future, then she led him upstairs to their bed.

B&B&B&B&B

In another part of town a second couple lay in bed holding one another, though the mood could not have been any more different.

"What if he doesn't want to live with us at all any more?" she spoke her deepest fear into the dark. "What if he likes it there better?"

"Shh," whispered her husband gently. "This isn't a competition, remember? Parker loves you both."

"He loves her too," Rebecca sniffed back her tears, "has since he was four years old. All he could talk about that Christmas was the cool robot his dad had given him and how 'Dr. Bones' and her team had made it for him. I think his crush on her was as big as Seeley's at one point, but he never-"

"If you're going to say that he never bonded with me that way, don't," Drew said firmly. "The two of us get along just fine and Temperance has never done anything to replace you as his mother, I wouldn't do that to Booth either. Parker already has a great dad and this is the best thing you can do for both of them. Trust me; a teenage boy needs to be allowed to live with his dad if he wants to."

She nodded, knowing this was something she should have offered Seeley years ago and had always made excuses not to. Those excuses were null and void now and had been for the last several years. Seeley was a married man, with children Parker saw as his siblings, and a job with more normal hours than even Rebecca kept; one that wasn't forever putting him in harm's way as it had in the past.


	6. In My Daughter's Eyes

**Long weekend. Sorry I'm late!**

**Gum :)**

In My Daughter's Eyes

Saturday afternoon Booth called Rebecca and suggested they come over the next day for a cookout after Mass. She agreed, then handed the phone over to a very excited, but anxious Parker. Father and son talked for over an hour about what the changes could mean for the teen, though Booth was very careful not to pressure his son in one direction on another. The next day once the kids were otherwise occupied, the adults sat down to hammer out all of the legal details.

It was a long, emotionally fraught process, given that they wanted to take Parker's wishes into consideration as well. The teenager had been reluctant at first to say anything that might hurt his mom, but Rebecca had bravely assured him that she would support whatever decision he made. It had hurt, but she'd understood when he'd explained that, while he loved his mom and wanted her to be a part of his life, he also wanted the chance to live with his dad before he went off to college.

In the end they all agreed that Parker would live with the Booths and spend alternate weekends and holidays with Rebecca and Drew, as well as several two week blocks during the summers. Together, Rebecca and Temperance drafted a written plan that both couples agreed upon and signed and Rebecca said she would arrange to have the papers notarized and filed with the court the next day. Since the court's presumption in DC was that joint custody was in the best interest of the child unless otherwise proven, and because they had come to an agreement about the specifics without contest, there would be no need for them to set a court date.

The official transfer of custody date was set for the following Monday, giving Parker a chance to move his things, but not be rushed given that the school year was starting and all four adults would be at work. It would also give him a chance to transition himself and they all agreed that if for some reason he decided to amend the arrangement, they would do so without hesitation.

"Becca," Booth called her aside before she, Drew, and Parker left for the night. "Thanks. For everything. Is this- I mean you-"

She held up her hand to stop him, "Seeley, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you this is easy for me, but it's what our son wants so _that's_ what matters here. Not you or me, just him." He watched her struggle to keep her composure and she gave him a watery smile, "I've had him for fourteen years, Seels. You deserve to have him for a least the next four."

Without waiting for him to respond she turned away and walked quickly to her car and climbed in the passenger's seat. Allowing her a modicum of privacy Booth turned back toward the house, where the kids were still saying their goodbyes. None of them but Parker knew what had been discussed, though Booth figured that wouldn't last long.

Sure enough, Maddie started quizzing them as soon as they got inside, "So what's going on?

"Yeah," Joey chimed in. "Why were you guys talking for so long?"

"Is Parker in trouble?" Sadie piped up, a concerned look on her face.

The two adults exchanged a look and Temperance nodded.

"Parker's not in trouble," Booth began, "but he is moving."

The room exploded into a cacophony of complaints and exclamations and even more questions than they'd had before.

"What your father _means_," Temperance cut in, rolling her eyes at her husband, "is that Parker will be living here with us as of next Monday."

"Is Rebecca sick?" Maddie cut in before her mother could finish.

This sparked off a whole new round of questions until finally Booth put his hand up to stop them.

"Look, I know you guys have a lot of questions and we'll try and answer them if we can," he explained. "What's important, though, it that Parker's mom and I have decided that he's old enough now to choose where he wants to live and he wants to live with us. It's gonna mean a few changes around here from now on but I'm counting on you guys to pitch in and help make this work."

"Is he still gonna sleep in our room?" Joey wanted to know.

Temperance nodded, "We'll be getting some new furniture too so Parker has a place for his things. He'll be moving his belongings in slowly over the next week."

"Won't his mommy miss him?" asked Sadie thoughtfully.

"Probably," Booth answered truthfully, "but he'll go visit her every other weekend just like he used to visit us. She wants to share him with us now and that's a very nice thing so we need to make sure that he feels as welcome as possible."

"He's our brother," Maddie said with a shrug, "of course we want him here."

There were more questions and the adults fielded them as best they could. When nine o'clock rolled around, though, Booth called a halt to the questions for the night because they all had to get up for school the next morning. Temperance added if they had any more questions they should feel free to ask, but only one of them; she didn't want Parker, Rebecca, or even Drew having to answer any uncomfortable questions.

"Well that was relatively painless," Booth sighed, stretching out in bed long after the kids were asleep.

"They seemed pleased, despite being inquisitive," Temperance agreed.

"The four of them have always gotten along," he shrugged. "Even back when we were hiding in Maryland. This shouldn't be too big of a shift for 'em."

She nodded her agreement, though she was intent on the laptop in front of her. Booth teased her about doing work on the last night of vacation but she batted him away, threatening to make him do his own work if he didn't leave her be. An hour later, though, he wore her down and managed to pry the laptop away from her and finish vacation what he claimed was the "proper" way. She was hard-pressed to complain.

**B&B&B&B&B&B**

The next morning, Temperance was the first one up and was already down making breakfast by the time the kids started stirring upstairs. Seeley joined her not long afterward and started working on the eggs and bacon while she finished the pancakes. A huge breakfast had become a tradition for the first day of school in the Booth household a few years back and this year was no exception. Sadie and Joey came down and immediately started setting the table while Maddie poured orange juice and milk for everyone.

A lively discussion went on around the table about what they were expecting and what they were looking forward to the most. Joey was a little bit nervous not only because he was starting middle school, but because he'd been in the public school for the last three years and wasn't sure he'd fit in with the kids at the private school as well. Maddie was nervous too, because she was starting high school, but she was also excited to see her friends again. Sadie wasn't sure what to think about starting third grade except that she had met her teacher a week ago at a school function and thought she was very nice.

Soon enough Temperance was shooing them away from the table and upstairs to get dressed and get their things together. The week before they'd gone shopping for school supplies and all of the backpacks had been packed ahead of time so that all she had to do was pull them out of the hall closet that morning. Seeley sent her upstairs to get dressed while he handled the rest of the breakfast cleanup.

Upstairs there was a frenzy of activity as the three kids fought over who got to use their bathroom first. Finally, she sent Maddie into the master bathroom and Sadie down to the lower one, letting Joey stay in the kids' one where he'd locked himself away from the girls. Fortunately, all she and Seeley were doing today was office work, so all she needed was a pair of jeans and a blouse.

"You look nice," she told Maddie when the teen came out of the bathroom in her school uniform.

And she did. Over the summer Maddie had transformed from a coltish girl into a willowy young woman and even the conservative uniform couldn't mask how well-structured she was. Add to that her wavy brown hair that had been styled to frame her face perfectly, and her tastefully done makeup, and Temperance knew that her husband had every right to fear for Maddie drawing every male eye in school. Maddie blushed at the praise, unaware of how she appeared to others, and turned to leave.

"Wait," Temperance called, moving over to her dresser and removing a small object. "I wanted to give you this."

Maddie walked over and took the proffered item from her mother, turning over in her hands curiously to inspect it.

"That was my mother's," Temperance explained, "and when I was your age I borrowed it for my first day of high school. I- You don't have to wear it if you don't want to but I wanted you to have it nonetheless."

Without hesitation, Temperance watched as her daughter unbuckled the belt she had on and replaced the shiny metal with the older, duller dolphin one.

"It looks cool," declared the teen with a smile when she'd finished.

Temperance was about to comment in return when Sadie burst through the bedroom door, asking if she or Maddie would braid her hair. She plopped down on the bed and waited expectantly. Maddie offered to do it while their mother finished getting ready. Temperance smiled her thanks and went into the bathroom, the smile remaining as she heard her girls talking and giggling in the adjoining room.

"Hey, Mommy, guess what?" Sadie bounded over to her when she came out, braided pigtails bobbing about her shoulders. The little girl didn't wait for a reply, "Maddie said when I start high school I get to wear her pretty dolphin belt buckle, 'cause it's for mommies and their daughters to share, just like your mommy shared with you."

"That sounds like an excellent plan," Temperance scooped her youngest up and held her close, knowing that the eight year old was far closer to growing up than she wanted. "Should we go make sure the boys are ready?"

Sadie nodded and hopped down, dashing down the steps ahead of them and pouring out the entire buckle story to Seeley and Joey. "Daddy," Temperance heard the little girl ask, "if Maddie gets to wear Mommy's belt buckle, how come Parker doesn't get to wear yours?"


	7. Taking Care of Business

Taking Care of Business

"You never did answer Sadie's question," Bones teased him as they turned onto the access road that connected all of the Jeffersonian buildings.

"I think Becca would kill me if I got Parker a cocky belt buckle of his own," he smirked.

"So what did you give him?" she wanted to know.

Just as they'd pulled in to drop Maddie off at the high school, Booth had spotted Parker standing along the front walkway, scanning the parking lot. Maddie was the last of the Booths to be dropped off so Booth parked at his wife's insistence and walked over with Maddie while Bones stayed in the car. The three of them had talked for a moment, then Maddie stepped back, giving Parker time alone with his dad.

"I gave him my poker chip," Booth smiled at the memory of Parker's excitement over the small token as he related it to his wife, "for good luck." He laughed when she made a face and joked, "Well it was either that or the Zippo, or the hula pen."

"Or the belt buckle," she teased back.

"Yup," he nodded, pulling into their space.

They exchanged a smile as they gathered their stuff and began walking toward the building, his hand automatically seeking hers out. As they walked and talked about high school and how neither one of them could believe that Maddie and Parker were now officially high-schoolers, their fingers laced together and their shoulders brushed, and by the time they reached the front doors there was no room between them at all. Just before they went in he tucked a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail and she straightened his tie and they separated as he ushered her forward with his hand at the small of her back.

The two-story building that the Jeffersonian had offered the FBI when the new agent-scientist training program had been established three years ago, technically had no name and in the past it had housed the offices of the lower members of the Jeffersonian hierarchy. A little nosing around on Angela's part through the original blueprints had revealed that it was the twenty-eighth building erected on the sprawling museum ground and had been originally designated "Building BB" on old campus maps.

Taking that concept and running with it, the artist had spent every spare minute that first summer designing the look and feel of the place. On the exterior of the building, Angela had placed two, three-foot high "B's" made of polished stainless steel, one right after the other; etching "Booth" on the bottom of one and "Brennan" on the other in such tiny lettering that they were barely discernible. On the interior, however, she held nothing back.

No one was quite sure how, but she managed to meld the styles of both the Hoover Building and the Jeffersonian Lab seamlessly in each of the five classrooms on the lower level, as well as in the break room upstairs. In the hallways she had interspersed pieces of local Americana art with black and white photographs documenting Booth and Brennan's partnership from its infancy through the seven years they'd been crime-solving partners, including pictures of the Squint Squad as well.

Upstairs, the artist had taken two adjoining offices in the far corner of the building and merged them into one. Two of the walls she'd lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, labeled "His" and "Hers" and along the back wall she'd painted in flowing script, "The Center Must Hold." Commendations, medals, and framed newspaper articles featuring their individual and joint accomplishments had been hung all around the words; though the focal point was a picture of the couple standing toe-to-toe, obviously bickering, but with an electricity crackling between them that not even the still image could mute.

For the office itself, she'd found old partners' desks from a downtown precinct and had set them in the middle of the room with a comfortable chair for Booth and a functional one for Brennan. On Booth's side of the office, she'd arranged two Lazy Boy recliners and two couches around a low coffee table that was perfect for housing takeout. The artist had also restored an old wooden toy-box and put it on Booth's side, giving the kids a place to stow their things when they came after school.

Brennan's side of the office, on the other hand, housed a long, oval table made of solid oak for formal business meetings, and a tall glass case for her to display her artifacts. There was a single leather chair with a lamp beside it that Angela joked could be used either for heavy reading, or as a time-out chair for "Booths behaving badly."

"So what's on the agenda for today, Bones?" asked Booth, slipping off his jacket and hanging it carelessly over the back of his chair before sitting down.

She already had her laptop booted up and was sifting through her email as she started listing off all of the things that needed to be done. He listened with half an ear, nodding in all the right places but mostly just taking in the view. Despite the years that had passed, he still found himself marveling not only at the fact that they were still partners, but that they were married and had an amazing family on top of it all.

"Are you even listening to me, Seeley?" she was saying now, dragging him away from his musings.

"Meet with Sweets about the student profiles, check with the Squint Squad to go over the fake case, and schedule my physical," he rattled off her three main points, hoping he hadn't missed anything else important.

"Sweets says it's very important not to put your physical off any longer if you want to maintain your field agent status," she lectured.

"All I've got left to do is the physical and I've been passing those since Sweets was in diapers," he scoffed, and then narrowed his eyes when she gave him a look. "Hey, you wait and see how eager _you_ are when they start jamming a camera up you-" he stopped short when her scowl became a glare. "Fine, I'll make it. But not for next week- that's going to be hectic enough already."

"Agreed," she nodded curtly, then her brow furrowed. "What were you thinking about so deeply over there while I was talking? I know you weren't paying very much attention."

He didn't bother to deny it, but leaned back in his chair and shrugged, "You. I like your hair like that."

"Like what?" she tilted her head, eyes crinkling, "In a ponytail?"

Her curiosity amused him and he laughed, "Yeah, that. Makes you look young and cute."

"Implying I look old and unattractive most of the time?" she challenged him.

"Maybe," he smirked.

She huffed and pretended to become deeply engrossed in her computer work again.

"You know, Bones," he egged her on, "for all your squinty rationalism, you're such a girl."

They were still going at it when Angela walked in, and she paused to appreciate the irony of them bickering under the picture of them bickering before she cleared her throat and quipped, "Good to know you guys used your vacation to blow off some steam."

They both looked at her, then at each other, then gave twin shrugs and looked back at the artist expectantly.

"Right, so these are for you, Bren," Angela handed over her drawing from the latest Limbo remains.

During the summer months when there were no classes to teach and when they weren't traveling as a family to dig sites, Brennan had opted to work in Limbo, as well as handle authentications for the museum when Clark and Wendell were busy helping Agent Perotta with FBI cases.

"They look accurate," said Brennan, scrutinizing each one carefully and signing off on them. "I'm waiting on odontology for dental results. That should give us a geographic location to begin our search. Has Cam set a time for our meeting yet?"

"Despite the fact that I'm not your personal secretary," the artist shared a grin with Booth at Brennan's ever-present lack of tact, "yes. Tomorrow at ten and we'll do the full walk-through. Jack wants to play the murderer this year."

"Fine with me if the bug man doesn't mind getting roughed up a little," Booth's lip curled upward at the prospect.

"No," his wife disagreed, "we need him to perform his duties as the entomologist. One of Clark's interns can be the murderer."

"Aw, he can handle both, Sweetie," Angela assured her, "and they'll never suspect he's their man."

"I'll consider it," the anthropologist relented.

"Good," she grinned. "We still on for girl's night?"

Brennan nodded, "Sadie has soccer practice from six until seven, though."

"That's fine. We'll just leave from here when school's over," Angela said. "Then we'll snag dinner and Gemma and Maddie can watch Sadie's practice and we'll go from there."

"Gemma nervous about first grade at all?" Booth asked of the Hodgins' daughter.

"Nah," Angela waved a hand. "She's six and an old pro by now to hear her talk, plus she gets to play on the big kid playground at recess now so it's all good. Caden on the other hand," she shook her head at the thought of her four-year old, "clung to me like a barnacle when we walked him to his pre-k class; though my tears weren't helping anything probably."

"Bones bawled like a baby when Sadie was that age," Booth claimed.

"That was _you_," the accused party slapped him lightly as she crossed the room in search of a specific book.

"You used just as many tissues as I did," he defended himself.

"Jack's eyes were teary too," Angela consoled Booth. "I told him it's time for a new one."

"I thought you didn't want any more?" Brennan asked as she hunted in her bag, thinking perhaps she'd brought the book home.

"I didn't back when I was trying to figure out how to stay sane with two little kids only eleven months apart," she chuckled. "But now that they're both in school I don't know."

"Babies are great," put in Booth.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Angela spoke up as her fried started to launch into a debate. "With this being Caden's first week and all we gave Micah the week off so we can pick the kids up ourselves. I mean, I know we'd talked about him not driving today, but I figured I'd give you a heads up."

When Gemma Hodgins, the next heir to the Canteliever Group, had started pre-k at Park Hollow, Jack had hired retired special forces Sargent Micah Birch as both her drive and personal bodyguard. Since Maddie and Sadie were at the same school and also went to the Jeffersonian in the afternoons, Jack insisted that the three girls ride together. Booth had been resistant at first, but the bug man had sweetened the pot, offering to have Micah pick up Joey- and Parker on his weekends- from their school as well. In the end, Booth had agreed, but the couple decided that Micah only needed to pick them up after school as both Booths enjoyed dropping the kids off personally.

"That's not a problem," Bones was telling Ange. "Parker and Joey both have football practice right after school so they'll need to be transported home separately for the duration of the season anyway."

"Parker?" questioned the artist. "I mean, I know he and Joey are at Park Hollow now too but..." she trailed off with a shrug.

"Becca's filing the papers so we'll have joint custody from now on," explained Booth. "We, um, we let him choose how he wanted to do things from now on as far as where he wants to live."

"And he chose you guys?" Angela guessed correctly.

Booth nodded and the next thing he knew Angela was launching herself at him and grinning from ear to ear, exclaiming how happy she was for all of them. Her phone went off a second later, calling her back to the lab, so she gather the forms Bones had signed off on and headed back.

The partners worked in their office for the rest of the morning, then grabbed lunch at the diner, and met with Sweets afterward. As he had for the last three years, the psychologist reviewed the list of thirty students- fifteen scientists and fifteen FBI agents- to talk about possible parings they should consider and ones they should avoid. Of course the final pairing wouldn't be made until the end of the fall semester, then the newly minted partners would spend the spring semester learning how to work together as a team.

By the time they'd finished, it was almost time for school to let out so Booth left to pick the girls up while Bones walked back to the lab to put in a few hours in Limbo. When he reached the front of the pickup line and got out, he smiled widely as Sadie went from bouncing up and down restlessly by the building, to a dead run to the car and into his waiting arms.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, Sadie-girl," he kissed the top of her head. "How was school?"

That was all the invitation the eight year old needed to fill him in on every last detail about her day from the boys who tugged at her pigtails on the playground to her teacher, Mrs. Mackall, who was, "the best _ever."_

Maddie was much more subdued, but she smiled when Booth ushered her into the front seat and once the doors were closed she gave him a quick hug across the center console. Sadie peppered her sister with questions as they drove and the older girl patiently answered each one.

"Why are we parking?" Sadie asked her dad as he pulled into a space near the elementary school playground and turned the engine off.

"The boys have practice and I don't really feel like coming back to pick them up," he admitted. "Besides, it's a nice day so I figured we can hang out here and then go get your mom once practice is over."

"Is Parker coming home with us tonight?" Maddie waited to ask the question until Sadie had scampered off to the playground.

"For a while," he nodded in reply. "Rebecca's bringing some of his stuff over." The two of them sat down on a nearby bench and he turned to her, "Are you guys okay with this whole Parker thing? I know it's all happening so fast and the last thing I want is for you three to feel like you're getting lost in the shuffle."

"Are you kidding?" she let out a short laugh. "Joey's been dreaming about this since we all were undercover in Maryland and so has Sadie. He's been their big brother for years now."

"What about you?" he probed gently.

"Me?"

"Yeah," he met her eyes, "you guys are just about the same age so what's your take?"

"It's okay," she shrugged. "Not like we don't get along or anything and I'd see him at school everyday now anyway."

Booth watched his oldest girl's gaze drift over to her sister and linger there. Maddie had been like a mother to Sadie for the first year and a half of the younger girl's life and she'd looked out for Joey when he was little too.

"They'll always need you," he assured her, causing her head to snap back around and focus on him. "You're their big sister and they'll always look up to you in one way or another."

He wanted to tell her too that it didn't matter one iota to him whether his kids were biological or adopted- he loved them all the same- but the timing wasn't right so he switched gears instead.

"I've got something I need your help on to pull off," he said, keeping his voice low. "But you've got to promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

Maddie nodded, interest piqued, and listened closely as he outlined the plan he'd been working on for the past month. Her smile spread from one corner of her mouth to the other as he went on explaining what he needed her to do. By the time he finished, it was time to get the boys so they tracked down Sadie and headed back to the car.


	8. Songbird

**Every single person at my house was taken down by allergies this week so sorry for the delay! Pop in some FleetwoodMac and enjoy.**

Songbird

Sadie was thrilled when they pulled up in front of the lab, not the B building, and she led the way as the five of them trooped in. Security waved them through and they stopped at the main lab first to say hi. Catching sight of her friends, Sadie begged to be allowed to play with Gemma and Caden in Angela's office, while Wendell invited the older three to see what he was doing up on the forensic platform.

After securing four promises that they'd be on their best behavior and a nod from Cam indicating Bones was still in Limbo, Booth went down to the basement in search of his wife. She wasn't hard to find and for several minutes he simply leaned against the door frame and watched her work.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked with a wry smile as she straightened up and turned to greet him.

"You know me, Dr. Brennan," he pushed off, walking toward her slowly, "scientists fascinate me."

"Really?"

"Well," he encircled her with his arms from behind, allowing her enough slack to start cleaning up, "at least _one_ scientist does."

He dropped light kisses on the exposed part of her neck until she gently separated from him and returned the plastic tub of bones she'd been working with to its shelf.

"Are the girls here?" she asked, continuing to put things away.

Seeley nodded, "So are the boys. You've been down here for a while."

She wasn't surprised to hear that and let out the smallest of groans as she stretched her weary frame and rotated her head until her neck gave a satisfactory pop. Large, warm hands kneaded her trapezium muscles and worked them loose. She wasn't nearly ready for him to pull back when he did, but it still felt good and his look promised he'd follow up on it later at home.

There was a brief discussion as they walked back to the lab about what to do for dinner as they were in sore need of groceries. Seeley said it would be no problem to stop by Sid's, or the diner, or even a pizza joint on the way back for something. While she agreed to some degree she also knew that such things always took longer than they should, so she proposed that they simply go back home, heat up whatever leftovers were in the fridge for the kids, and go shopping. This was fine with him as long as the two of them grabbed something light to eat too since he was already hungry.

"Mom," Sadie was at her side, with Gemma Hodgins close behind her, almost as soon as they entered the lab, "may Gemma _please_ spend the night?"

"No," she said patiently, "it's a school night."

Sadie frowned and the two girls consulted one another in whispers before Sadie asked, "May I spend the night at her house?"

"It will still be a school night there, so, no," Temperance remained firm.

"Go get whatever stuff you brought in," Seeley halted any further negotiations, then waited until the girls were far enough away to confide, "She'll be sleeping over there Saturday night anyway."

"She will?" this was news to the anthropologist.

He nodded, "Maddie and Joey too."

"Any reason in particular?" she was interested to know.

"It's our last weekend until our classes start," he shrugged, "and before Parker moves in for good. I figure we can run away Saturday night and come back nice and fresh for the week."

She couldn't remember the last time they'd gone out together for an evening and smiled her thanks, his thoughtfulness touching her. The moment was broken as Sadie came rushing back with her things, and Seeley called for the three who were still hunched over one of the tables with Wendell to come down.

"Please tell me that's not a corpse," Seeley muttered to Cam as she joined them while they waited.

"It's the fake body we're using for your training case," she assured him. "Just something he thought the kids would like to look at. He spent all day prepping it and I think he even got Max to help."

At the mention of her grandpa, Sadie begged to be allowed to stop by his area before they left and since it was on their way out, Temperance relented. Max Keenan's grin was wide when the six of them appeared in his doorway and he immediately put aside his work, claiming he was just finishing up anyway. Sadie talked eagerly about the science club meetings resuming next week and how she and Gemma were finally going to be in the same class and be lab partners. Joey lamented having football practice every day on top of his homework until Max reminded him that the middle school club only met once a week instead of twice like the younger clubs did, and were held later in the evening.

Max gave Maddie and Parker a hard time about getting too old to learn anything from him, but at Sadie's distress on her sister's behalf he explained that high school kids who wanted to could apply to be his lab assistants during the other classes. Maddie blushed when Max boasted that she'd won the position as his head assistant, and while she tried to downplay the importance of it, he assured them all that it was a big deal and that her application test scores had even beaten out a couple of the seniors trying out for the position. When asked, Parker explained that he'd be helping out too as a regular assistant once football season was over.

"And guess what, Grandpa," Sadie beamed

"What, short stuff," the older man winked at her.

The little girl tugged at Parker's hand for him to share the good news and when he did, Max's smile grew as wide as Sadie's and he congratulated the boy, clapping him on the shoulder firmly. Trying not to ruin the mood, but realizing it was getting later, Seeley announced that they needed to leave and invited Temperance's father to join them for dinner.

Max couldn't have said no even if he had wanted to with the cheers that erupted from Joey and Sadie, both of whom asked to be allowed to ride back to the house with him. Permission was granted as Max gathered his things and it was a very lively group that made their way out to the parking lot.

It was already six by the time they got back to the house and the adults lost no time getting the various leftovers they had, heated up and set out. Seeley and Temperance ate quickly, and were more than happy when Max offered to stay and oversee any homework and chores that needed to be done, as well as wait for Rebecca and Drew to come over with the first load of Parker's things.

With no children to slow them down, the couple was able to get out and find everything they needed for the coming week and return home by eight o'clock. Rebecca, Drew, and Parker were on their way out, having gotten everything they brought put away. Seeley walked out with them for his own private goodbye and returned a few minutes later holding his copies of the custody papers.

He and Temperance shared a private smile, then joined the very boisterous crowd that remained for large bowls of ice cream and several heated rounds of Blitz. Around nine Sadie started yawning and Temperance sent the two younger ones upstairs to get ready for bed. Maddie and Max chatted back and forth about the science clubs and how in a year or two Maddie hoped to get a paid internship at the Jeffersonian, while Sadie and Joey were tucked into bed and assured that when they were in high school, they could stay up later too.

Once that was done, Seeley and Max went down to the basement to catch whatever sporting event was on and Maddie stayed with her mom to help tidy up. When they'd finished, mother and daughter talked briefly about how Maddie's first day of high school had been good, though uneventful, before they settled down at opposite ends of the couch, each with a book to read.

An hour later, the men came up, Max said his goodbyes, gladly accepting Seeley's invitation to come back the following night when the Hodgins' boys would be over too, and Maddie was sent to bed.

"Mmm, thanks," Temperance groaned under her husband's tender ministrations as she lay face-down on their bed with him lightly straddling her.

The day's tension drained from her the longer he worked and she tried to get details out of him concerning what he had planned for the coming weekend to no avail.

"You know that I'm going to find out eventually," she said, sitting up when he'd finished.

"I know you'll try," his eyebrows wiggled up and down as if to dare her. "Succeeding is another thing."

"Lean back," she ordered, pointing at the headboard. He eyed her warily, but obeyed and she moved down to the bottom of the bed and peeled off his left sock, taking his foot into her hands and began gently massaging it, "Does that feel good?"

"Like heaven," he released a long sigh, then smiled at her. "Is this the part where you sweetly torture me until I tell you what you want to know?"

She shook her head, "I have other means at my disposal for that. When we were going up the stairs you were wincing from your subluxed cuboids. This is for you, Seeley."

"Well me and my cuboids thank you, Bones," he smiled. "You're way better than the Army foot docs ever were."

They bantered back and forth about him going to a real podiatrist as she manipulated the bones and tissue, though they both knew he never would. In point of fact it was something she had become accustomed to doing for him regularly over the years; something she took pride in doing for him, just as much as he enjoyed massaging her sore back after she'd spent a long day spent hunched over a table. She would most likely be offended if he were to actually go to someone else, but they still teased one another about it.

"How's this one?" she asked, not bothering to wait for an answer as she stripped him of his other sock and began anew.

"Not as bad as the other one was," he answered honestly. "I'm looking forward to this weekend."

"I might," she sniffed, "_if_ I knew what we were doing."

"We're running away together, that's all you need to know," he spoke confidently.

"Will we talk about not coming back?"

"Definitely," he gave her a lopsided grin. "And who knows? Maybe it'll just be you and me locked in a bedroom the whole time."

She had no objections to that and told him as much. A contented silence fell between them as she finished with his right foot. He yawned widely, causing her to yawn as well as she crawled up beside him and under the covers, turning off the beside light as she went.

**B&B&B&B&B**

_The darkness came and went intermittently, each time leaving him more disoriented than before. Was he dead? Alive? In limbo? His breath came in spurts, chest aching with the effort as he tried to make sense of the blurred colors and muted noises crushing in on him from all sides. _

_"Bones!"_

_Her name was screamed in his head but never passed through his lips no matter how hard he tried. _

_"Bones!"_

_Still no one heard him._

_"Booth!"_

_The sound of her voice kept the darkness at bay and he focused on it._

_"Booth!"_

_"I'm right here," he tried to tell her._

_"Help is here," she said through a jagged sob."__You're going to be fine." _

_From somewhere deep within he found the strength to squeeze her hand just before he felt his body being lifted away from her, onto a gurney. She had never lied to him before and as the darkness closed in yet again he prayed this wouldn't be the first time.  
_


	9. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

The next thing either one of them was aware of was the alarm clock blaring and they muttered at each other as to whose turn it was to shut it off until finally Booth threw his pillow at it and muffled the sound. Oversleeping wasn't a concern, however, as the rest of the household began to stir. Soon enough the hallway rang with complaints about the bathroom being hogged and not long after that there was a frantic pounding on their door.

"Go away," Booth called as Temperance called, "Come in."

Sadie dashed through the door and straight into the bathroom like her clothes were on fire, slamming the bathroom door behind her.

"Sadie!" both of her parents scolded in unison.

An apology was shouted in reply.

"Why do we even bother?" Booth rolled his eyes as he stood up, stretched, and disappeared into their walk-in closet.

"You realize the situation will be compounded next week when the number of children will exceed the number of bathrooms?" she pointed out.

"One of the boys can use the bushes out back," he smirked as she joined him.

He was in his dress pants and an undershirt and was nosing around his dresser for socks when Sadie popped out of the bathroom.

"Hi, Daddy!" she chirped. "I did a ponytail like Mom all by myself, see?"

She'd managed to get her curls under control and contained in the ponytail, even if it was slightly off-centered. Here and there a few ringlets escaped to frame her face.

"You look beautiful," he told her, sitting beside her on the bed to put his socks on.

The eight year old tilted her head, a mannerism of her mother's she'd picked up years ago, "You always say that."

"Maybe because it's always true?" he suggested.

"Nah, you're just patronizing me," Sadie decided, jumping up from the bed and announcing that she was going to get dressed.

"'Patronizing?'" questioned Booth as he buttoned up his shirt.

Temperance smirked and nodded, looping his favorite tie around his neck and adjusting it for him, "Proof that her vocabulary doesn't just come from watching sports with you."

Maddie, Joey, and Sadie were already downstairs eating breakfast by the time the adults joined them and there was a brief discussion about how the bathrooms would be shared once Parker moved in. When they finished, dishes were cleared, lunches hurriedly made, and backpacks rounded up and loaded into the car along with their owners.

Because the girls would be leaving right from the Jeffersonian, Temperance made sure she brought along a change of clothes for both girls as well as Sadie's soccer equipment bag, and she drove her SUV to work while Booth drove the kids to school. She was already over at the lab with the Squint Squad when he arrived, so he dumped a few things in their office and jogged off to finder her.

"Everything alright?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth when he walked up and stood beside her.

"Yup," he nodded. "Kids are safe and sound at school and I brought you this."

She gratefully took the travel mug from him, inhaling the rich aroma of her favorite blend that made the lab's thick brew pale in comparison.

"Why are you breathing so heavily?" she squinted at him.

"It's like a mile from the office to here and I had to run the whole way," he claimed, reaching for a doughnut.

She slapped his hand away from the unhealthy food and was about to tell him the buildings weren't even a quarter of a mile apart when Cam called the meeting to order. The fake case that they'd come up with was an amalgamation of several of the cases they'd worked on in the past and was designed to show how agents and squints worked together to effectively get to the bottom of things. Booth and Brennan took on their old roles as lead investigator and scientist respectively, though it was the students who were then tasked with putting all of the evidence together to determine who the "murderer" was.

In the spring semester the students would work on another fake case- this time paired off- and would compete to see which team worked the best together. The winning pair then won the right to shadow the Squint Squad and Agent Perotta on a real case before the training program ended in May.

"Right," Cam nodded as they finished going over every aspect of the case, "so we're all clear on how this is going to work?"

Heads around the table bobbed up and down.

"We do this the same as any other case, people, and show them how it's done right," the pathologist said firmly.

"Aye," Hodgins said in an Irish brogue, "'Tis nothing amusing in murder most foul."

"I'll make sure he behaves," Angela shook her head with a glare in her husband's direction.

"Not bad on the accent," Booth complimented the bug man. "Have you heard my English one?"

"It's more Australian than English," Temperance put in.

"Says you-"

They bickered back and forth with the squints chiming in here and there until Cam called a halt to it and refocused them.

"We start Monday afternoon and wrap up on Thursday," Cam reminded them. "And if Perotta brings us a real case in the meantime we'll reschedule as necessary. Any questions?"

There weren't and she dismissed them with on final admonition to be on their best behavior. Booth and Hodgins began discussing the best way to spring the case on the unsuspecting students, each idea slightly more grandiose than the last, while the anthropologist conferred with Cam on a few minor details. The entire group then headed to the diner for lunch, and most likely would've lingered longer had Temperance and Cam not insisted there was plenty of work still to be done.

Booth and Brennan spent the rest of the afternoon in their office finalizing their plans for Orientation, handling the pre-registration emails they'd received thus far, and making sure that enough copies of the program's fall syllabus had been prepared so that it could be included with the information packet each student would be getting.

"Is there anything we're forgetting?" Booth asked as he leaned back into the couch, wanting to make sure since he'd be in meetings at the Hoover for the next two days.

Temperance surveyed the work spread out on the coffee table that they'd accomplished and shook her head, "Not as far as I can tell. Our tentative schedule for the next two weeks is set and I'll continue handling the pre-registrations as they come. You'll still be free to help me compile the information packets on Friday, correct?"

"That's the plan," he said drily.

"I thought you were looking forward to going back to the Hoover for a few days?" she questioned him.

"Sort of," he blew a long breath out. "Seeing the guys will be great; it's the meetings themselves that bore me half to death."

"They're important, though," she shifted around so that their knees were touching and laid a hand on his forearm. "The FBI needs tangible proof that what we're doing here is viable and worthy of their funding. I had to do the same thing with the board at the Jeffersonian last month."

"I know," he slumped back further into the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "It just always feels like it's more of an uphill battle on the FBI side. Squints don't need to be sold on the fact that pairing professional scientists with FBI agents is a help, not a hindrance; especially when we're talking full participation in the cases."

"True," she acknowledged, "though some are now saying the FBI should train its own scientists and leave the Jeffersonian out of it."

"Ah, but as one insightful scientist once told me, the best and brightest don't flock to Quantico," he winked.

"I was right," she smiled slyly. "But you were right that my people skills were somewhat lacking."

"Somewhat," he chuckled and had his shoulder shoved for his trouble.

He retaliated by leaning over and kissing her shoulder and then attempting to kiss her lips as she dodged him, launching into a practiced lecture on professionalism in the workplace. He gave his standard counter-argument that when they were in their office it didn't apply because they were the only ones in the building.

After a few volleys back and forth she allowed him a short kiss and he stole a second one, trapping her in place with his hand on her hip and inviting her to deepen it. She responded to the challenge and their tongues dueled playfully, separating only when voices sounded in the hallway.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

By the time Maddie, Sadie, Gemma, and Angela came through the door, Booth was cleaning up the mess of papers on the coffee table while Temperance checked her email one last time. The two little girls went right for the toy box, but were called back to the big table to get their homework out of the way.

"Hey, kiddo," Booth said to Maddie as Angela went over to chat with Bones. "School okay today?"

"I guess," the teen shrugged. "It wasn't bad."

"Except for?" he prodded gently.

"Algebra," Maddie came around the furniture and dropped onto the couch beside him. "I'm not a fan."

"How come?"

"We have a _ton_ of homework already, but some of it I'm not sure how to do," she explained. "I mean, I know it's the advanced class, but some of the stuff is really confusing and I didn't really have time to ask questions."

At his prompting they got her book out and she showed him what she had to do. He hadn't been the best at math in school, but looking it over he remembered how to do most of it. She showed him the parts that were tricky for her and they worked through the problems together.

Meanwhile, Temperance and Angela were supervising the smaller portions of homework that had been assigned to the younger girls and they finished in a relatively short amount of time. Much as she hated to interrupt, as soon as Sadie and Gemma finished their work, Temperance went over to the pair on the couch and explained that the girls needed to leave in order to get dinner before Sadie's soccer practice, and Seeley needed to go pick Joey and Parker up from football. She smiled as her husband made sure Maddie understood the remaining problems, then helped her repack her bag and gave her a quick hug. He whispered something in the girl's ear and the two grinned conspiratorially.

"What was that all about?" Temperance asked Seeley as Maddie went over to join her sister and Gemma.

"Nothing," he said, amused, giving her a hug.

"Liar," she murmured into his ear. "Is it about Saturday?"

"Nope," he pecked her cheek and released her. "Have a fun night, I gotta go grab the boys!"

She huffed in protest as he gave Sadie a hug and left. Realizing the girls were still in their school uniforms, the two women hurriedly rectified that, then piled into Temperance's SUV. Fifteen minutes later they were seated at _The Rabbit Hole_, an upscale restaurant that specialized in salads of all varieties.

Sadie and Gemma giggled at the fancy place settings and declared that they were having a tea party, while Maddie and Angela talked about high school.

"Any cute guys in your class?" the artist teased.

Maddie ducked her head, cheeks pinking, but didn't say no. Angela teased a little more, sharing a few of her own high school exploits before moving on to a new topic. All five of them enjoyed their meals, though they all agreed that "the boys" would not have approved of the menu selections at all. Sadie declared that boys were weird and she was never going to get married, but Gemma said they were okay and asked if she could marry her daddy, and if not him, then Caden.

Angela smiled, explaining that those two were off-limits, so Gemma decided she'd marry Joey instead. Sadie said that was fine with her but she still wasn't going to get married, just live at home and probably be a special agent like her dad. Or a field goal kicker in the NFL. Or a doctor. She was keeping her options open.

In the time-honored tradition of "Girl's Night Out" they finished dinner off by sharing a 12-scoop sundae from the ice cream parlor just down the street from _The Rabbit Hole_. They had just enough time to clean up and rush Sadie to soccer practice.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

_He'd been in enough hospital rooms in his lifetime to recognize where he was once the room swam into view. Around him specialists and nurses milled in and out, poking and prodding at him while monitors beeped their results._

_"Bones," he barely recognized the raspy voice that came out through his dry lips._

_"Agent Booth, can you hear me?" one of the nurses asked, stepping into his line of vision and effectively blocking his view._

_"Bones?" he couldn't tell if she was in the room but he needed her more than anything else right now._

_"No, you didn't break anything," the nurse assured him._

_Booth was beginning to grow frustrated and anxious, causing the heart monitor to speed up._

_"You need to calm down, sir," the nurse admonished gently._

_He wanted to - he really did - but right now there was only one doctor he wanted to see and she was nowhere to be found. The fog he'd been engulfed in kept him from ripping the wires off of his chest and going to find her. Craning his neck as far as he could, he stayed silent and looked for any sign of her through the small windows and into the hallway. Finally he caught sight of her familiar profile, standing just outside the door and holding a very animated conversation with someone he couldn't see. When she finally turned, their eyes met and the fear he saw carefully contained below a veneer of calm rocked him to the core and made the monitor sound off loudly once again.  
_


	10. It's a Hard Knock Life

It's a Hard Knock Life

"So you don't know what you guys are doing Saturday?" Angela asked as they sat on the bleachers watching Sadie while Gemma cheered from the sidelines and Maddie sat under a tree finishing her homework.

"No," Temperance groaned. "He's being stubborn in that regard despite my persistence."

"Irresistible force meets immovable object, eh?" quipped her friend, then added slyly. "And yes, Sweetie, Booth's the irresistible one."

Temperance laughed, "Perhaps we're going to celebrate our anniversary a few weeks early? We'll be very busy on the actual date."

"Got the seven-year itch yet, Bren?"

"Is that some sort of venereal disease?" quizzed the scientist, unfamiliar with the phrase.

Angela snorted loudly, drawing more than a few looks from the other parents. Eventually she calmed down enough to explain the phrase to the anthropologist, who assured her friend that she was in no way growing restless in her marriage to Seeley.

"It's odd," she confessed, "I never thought I could find so much contentment in domesticity."

"Yeah, I wasn't exactly the poster child for settling down either," Angela smiled. "But it's not as restricting as I thought, plus I think both of us found the right guys, you know?"

Temperance shook her head, "Love is conscious choice, Ange. I _choose_ to place my love and trust in Seeley just as you do in Jack."

"Yeah, but look how long it took for both of us to let ourselves fall for them," the artist countered. "Booth and Jack were extremely patient and they were willing to love us exactly the way we were; whether we had married them or not. That's not something that happens more than once in a lifetime. And at least for me," Angela spoke softly, "I don't think I could trust anyone _but_ Jack. He's my guy."

Silence fell around them and they let it; neither one knowing anything more that needed to be added. Temperance turned back to the field, watching Sadie take the ball up the field and pass it to her teammate, and all the while contemplating Angela's thesis. She thought of all her previous relationships with men and how disastrously they'd ended. Trust wasn't something she freely gave away and over the years Seeley had earned the trust she'd given him. Confiding so much in anyone else wasn't something she'd ever considered; nor did she presume she ever would.

As the practice came to a close, the coach invited all of the siblings who were watching to come out and play, and at Angela's nod, Gemma gleefully joined her friend on the field. The two commandeered a ball and began passing it back and forth as they ran.

"Gemma's very good," commented Temperance.

Apparently she wasn't the only one who thought so because the coach came over once the practice was finished and asked Angela if she would consider allowing Gemma to be on the team.

"Oh, _yes_, Mommy! Please, please, _please_!" Gemma begged, her dark curls bouncing up and down.

"We'll ask your Daddy," Angela looked from her daughter to the coach, "see what he has to say."

"Do you think Jack will have a problem with her playing organized sports?" Temperance asked as the girls ran ahead of them back to the car.

"Jack has a problem with organized anything," Angela rolled her eyes. "And I'm kind of a novice at these things because when I was her age I was on a tour bus with my dad sporting cheap sunglasses and soaking up all the attention I could get."

"So you think he'll say no?"

"If I ask," Angela nodded, "definitely. But she's got him wrapped around her finger so I'll let her ask."

"Fathers can be quite lenient when it comes to their daughters' requests," she agreed.

"Until their little girls grow into teenagers and they get protective," Angela laughed.

"Try over-protective," Maddie joined the conversation, walking beside them.

"Aw," the artist slung an arm around Maddie sympathetically, "Booth can't be too bad. Ask Jack to show you what my dad did when he thought Jack had hurt my feelings. Or ask Max what he did for your mom and Russ."

"No," Temperance cut in quickly, thinking fourteen was still too young to hear how Max had stabbed, gutted, and lit two men's corpses on fire in an effort to protect his family. "Just trust us that his actions were quite over-protective."

"Is that why Dad says Grandpa's not allowed at the Hoover?" the girl asked wryly.

"Yes," her mother answered simply, ignoring Angela's laugh, and adding a note of finality to her tone as they loaded everyone into the SUV and took off for their next destination.

This girls' night out, it had been Angela's turn to choose the group activity and she'd decided on a local studio where they could each select a piece of pottery and hand-decorate it, or make their own. Sadie and Gemma found two interlocking pieces: one piece said "best" and the other "friends" and they formed a large heart when joined together. Maddie, Temperance, and Angela were each molding their own clay pots, with varying degrees of success.

"Your father and I attended a pottery class together years ago," Temperance shared with Maddie as they worked. "He's actually a very talented sculptor."

"Yeah, I've seen some of the stuff he and Sadie used to make with Play-Doh," the teen nodded. "It's pretty good. I think I like using the pottery wheel better, though."

"I love the feel of the clay between my fingers," Angela put in, "and the thought that I can shape it into whatever I want. One year in college I only used bowls, plates, and cups that I'd handmade. I even made some crude silverware to go with it. It wasn't as bad as you'd think."

Maddie found the concept fascinating and all three girls listened raptly as the artist relayed some of the tamer tales from her travels before she'd settled in at the Jeffersonian. When she was done turning her own vase, Angelas sat beside Maddie and showed her some tricks to get the clay to do what she wanted it to, and how to incorporate an intricate design at the same time.

"What did you dad do to Uncle Jack?" Maddie asked quietly while they worked.

Angela chuckled and said in a low voice, "Well, Gemma was born about seven months after we were married and I don't know if you remember from that summer, but she was a very high-maintenance baby."

"Joey used to bring earplugs with him when we'd come over," smiled Maddie at the remembrance.

"Right, so while Gemma was doing the colicky baby thing and I was doing the frazzled mom who wasn't getting any sleep and couldn't get her own kid to calm down thing, Jack decided it was time for him to go on several _long_ business trips; something he'd never done before."

"He left you?" Maddie's eyes widened.

"He got some space and looking back," Angela shrugged, "I can't say I blame him too much. The tension level was through the roof at that point and we were probably better off apart. Anyway, my dad got wind that Jack was ducking out and he popped over to the mansion for a visit.

"I swear I did my best to explain that it wasn't totally Jack's fault and I _thought_ I'd talked him out of doing any permanent damage."

Maddie finished her her vase and they worked together to move it off the wheel, "What did he do?"

Angela started laughing, "The way Jack tells it, he woke up in the middle of the Texas desert with a picture of my face tattooed on his shoulder. Fortunately, Dad left him with his cell, so he called his jet to pick him up, canceled the rest of his meetings, and flew home."

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

While the girls were munching on their rabbit food, Booth, Parker, Joey, Hodgins, Caden, and Max were converging on the Booth house, where they consumed several extra-large pizzas with every meat topping available, and no vegetables, save mushrooms; which Hodgins assured them were a fungus, and therefore allowable. Jared dropped in too, and while he didn't get much pizza, he did get in on the flag-football game.

Max declined to play, but offered to ref. The older boys claimed their uncle, leaving Booth on a team with the two Hodgins boys. They played three-on-three until four year old Caden decided he wanted to play on the swing-set instead and pulled his dad along with him. For a while the four of them just tossed the ball around, playing catch more than they were football. Joey and Parker eagerly told Jared about the teams they were on and the positions they were playing. All four of them commiserated on how rough it was being low man on the totem pole on the team, and how grueling practices could be.

"You up for some Booth vs. Booth action?" Parker challenged his dad and uncle.

"Aw, that's not fair," Joey scoffed, then smirked. "At least not for them."

"You gonna let your kids taunt us like that, Seel?" asked Jared with a competitive glint in his eyes.

"I think," Booth grinned back, "we should show 'em how the game's _really_ played. You boys sure you're up for this?"

They were, and their confidence level was sky-high when they won the coin toss and started with the ball. Max resumed his role as referee, and the game was on. At first it was clear that the men were holding back, but Parker called them on it and all it took was one short exchanged glance from Booth to Jared and they pulled out all the stops.

Booth, star quarter-back on his high school team, connected pass after pass to Jared, who hadn't been that bad of a receiver back in his days at Annapolis, playing for the Navy team. These were routes they'd been running together in the backyard since they'd been old enough to throw and catch and it showed, leaving a stunned and breathless pair of boys in their wake.

The game had started as a two-hand touch game, but when the gloves came off, so did the polite rules, and Max wasn't about to get in the middle of things, so he'd wait to call the ball down until at least a knee hit the ground. Of course, the men still weren't putting their full weight into the tackles, but Parked and Joey gave it everything they had to bring their speedy uncle down.

"They're killing us," Joey wheezed, bending over double, but watching Booth and Jared in their huddle.

"No kidding," Parker sniffed. "Any bright ideas?"

The two men were lining back up and urging them to hurry it up, throwing in the occasional taunt, when Joey _did_ get an idea and whispered furtively to Parker, who grinned and nodded his approval in reply.

"Look, Seel," Jared laughed as they squared off against each other, "the boys think they have a plan."

"We'll see about that," Booth smirked confidently.

Parker crouched in position, meeting his uncle's eyes and refusing to be goaded. Once again, Booth took the snap and Jared shot down-field, weaving his way quickly between Joey and Parker. Jared went unchallenged, though, because as soon as he broke, Joey and Parker broke too: in the opposite direction. Booth saw the blitz coming from both sides and knew he wasn't going to have time to get rid of the ball before they were on him and instead, braced for impact.

Pulling back at the last second in an effort to strip the ball instead, Parker didn't hit Booth head on, but Joey did. Joey slammed into his dad going full tilt, knocking him back and sending all three of them to the ground in a heap.

Booth felt the air rush out of him along with pain in the front as Joey hit him and then along his back as he hit the ground. He tried to drag in a long breath, but couldn't and quickly found himself gasping for air as he struggled just to sit up.

"Dad!" Joey's panicked voice squeaked off to Booth's side as the boy realized something was wrong.

Booth wanted to comfort him, but was still trying to breathe and words couldn't describe his relief when Hodgins stepped into view and ordered Max, Joey, Parker, and Jared to step back and give Booth some space.

"Booth, I need you to listen," the bug man said evenly. "Most likely your diaphragm is spazzing out from the hard hit, so just keep calm and wait for it to stop."

He felt like reminding them all that this wasn't the first time he'd gotten the wind knocked out of him and he knew perfectly well what to do, but for the time being he was stuck waiting for a decent breath. It was painful because of his sore ribs when he finally could breathe deeply again, but he didn't care. A surge of air filled his lungs, and while he was still gulping and gasping, he didn't feel like he was being suffocated anymore.

Hodgins and Jared got on either side of him, hauling him to a seated position and staunchly refusing to let him stand up already despite his protests otherwise.

"No," he managed as he caught sight of Hodgins pulling out his phone. "No doctors, no Bones." He was adamant.

"But-" Hodgins started to protest.

"I'm fine," Booth groaned, staggering slowly to his feet.

Max, Jared, Jack, and Parker all shot him skeptical looks, but it was Joey who Booth was focusing on. The eleven year old was listlessly kicking a clod of dirt that had been dislodged during the play, his head hanging in shame.

"That was a helluva tackle, son," Booth commented once he'd made his way slowly over to Joey, slapping him on the back and leaving his arm around Joey's shoulder.

Booth knew all too well that Joey was as rough and tumble a kid as any boy out there but when it came to messing up, especially in front of adults, Joey would revert back to the sensitive boy who'd spent the first four years of his life being beaten for every little mistake he'd made, and even some he hadn't. As Booth pulled him closer, Joey looked up at him with unshed tears in his eyes and tried bravely to match Booth's smile.

"You must be growing armpit hair now or something," Booth went on, keeping his tone as light as possible. "And if you keep it up you'll make first-string by the end of the season, no problem."

"Yeah?" Joey sounded unsure.

"Yeah," his dad grinned, giving him a quick hug that was returned so enthusiastically Booth had to struggle to hide a wince.

The sun was slowly sinking in the sky so Booth suggested they all head in and watch a movie. He still wasn't feeling the greatest and a movie would be a good excuse for him to relax on the couch, hopefully enough so that Bones wouldn't suspect anything by the time she got home. Max took over when they got inside, ordering Booth to get comfortable and let everyone else handle the legwork.

Little Caden started rubbing his eyes as soon as they got inside, so Hodgins changed him into the pajamas they'd brought along just in case, and tucked his son into the guest room bed with little protest. Meanwhile, Jared and Joey picked out a movie while Max and Parker got the popcorn and drink ready.

Three-quarters of the way through the movie, the girls returned and joined them for the rest of it. Brennan didn't miss the grimace on her husband's face as Sadie climbed into his lap, but said nothing, even after the movie was over and their company began to disperse. Rebecca pulled in as the last of the visitors pulled out, dropping off another load of Parker's belongings and taking Parker home with her for the night.

The three remaining children where herded quickly into bed, with a warning that any complaints could mean a loss of similar outings in the future. That proved to be an unnecessary threat, however, as Maddie, Joey, and Sadie, were all exhausted from the full day.

As she crossed the threshold of her own bedroom after tucking the last of the children in, Temperance smiled at the form of her husband; fully dressed, fast asleep, and with his mouth agape as soft snores emanated from it. She slipped off his shoes and his jeans without waking him, then changed into her own pajamas, covered them both up, and went to sleep.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

_Time stood still as the door to his room opened. The hospital personal emptied out one by one but he barely noticed them as his eye locked on hers. Then her heard her voice. Low, steady, and as confident as always but with a tinge of worry she was desperately trying to hide from him. _

_"This is serious, Booth," she reproved him, mistaking his nostalgic smile for mirth._

_Weakly, he lifted his hand to cover hers, using the pad of his thumb to stroke the smooth surface of the hand he knew almost as well as his own. It was enough to halt her mid-sentence and lift her watery eyes to meet his. He couldn't tell if she was shaken by what could have happened or what might happen still._

_"I'll be fine," his raspy voice assured her. "Just hold my hand, Bones, and I'll be fine."_


	11. Mystery

Mystery  
_(go do your googling and find this song with "A Bit of Fry and Laurie")_

Possibly the only thing worse than having to participate in a long series of dull meetings was having to participate in a long series of dull meetings when one felt like a giant, human bruise. Not, Booth thought wryly to himself, that he didn't have it coming for playing so rough, but it was still no fun.

Right now the committee he'd just finished addressing was digesting the figures he'd given them from the last two classes of students he and Bones had overseen that proved the impact they were having already. The kind of impact even these tightfisted suits couldn't deny.

Did you take a second dose of ibuprofen? The display screen on his phone lit up with the text from his wife.

He casually palmed it just as someone in the room asked him to clarify one of the stats, which he did, even as he typed back, Yep.

More questions came up and he rolled right with them, making a mental not to buy the squints a round of drinks the next time they went out. Jack, Clark, Wendall, and Bones had compiled all of the data and fed it through Angela's super computer, which had spat out a great looking presentation. All Booth had needed to do from there was translate everything into FBI-speak and decide how to deliver it.

I scheduled your physical for a week from Monday, his phone informed him the next time he was free to peek. It's during a free period so you'll have NO EXCUSES!

Booth had to hide a grin, knowing exactly what face she'd been wearing when she'd typed that.

OK, he sent back surreptitiously while fielding another round of questions.

The portly man at the head of the table straightened his already neat stack of notes and formally thanked Booth for his time, telling him they'd get back to him with the committee's official decision once it had been made.

I'm free, he texted as soon as he was clear of the conference room.

The phone rang mere seconds after he hit 'send' and he smiled at the name that flashed up at him, "Hey, Baby, do you miss me that bad?"

"I don't miss your horrendous grammar," she shot back drily.

He chuckled and decided to push her a little further, "What can I do ya for, Mrs. Booth?"

"If you're asking why I'm calling," she ignored his jabs, "I need to know what type of orange juice you'd like me to purchase."

"Um," he had no clue where that had come from, but he went with it. "Does it really matter?"

"Only if you have a preference to the amount of pulp in it," she answered. "Unless you're requesting it for one of the children."

"No pulp for me," he told her, wrinkling his nose at the thought of having stuff float around in his juice. "Gotta be honest, though, Bones, I don't remember asking you to get any juice."

"You texted me the word 'OJ' just a few minutes ago," she sounded confused. "When you were in your meeting. I presumed that meant you wanted me to get orange juice on my way home."

"Nope," understanding hit him. "I meant to text 'OK.' Guess I got the wrong letter."

They shared a laugh.

"Are your meetings over for the day yet?" she asked.

"For now," he nodded. "At least with the suits. Mitchell wanted me to stop by before I left, though. What's on the to-do list for tonight?"

"The boys have football tonight, obviously, and I'll need you to pick them up because Sadie has a dental appointment right after school." She paused long enough for him to grunt an acknowledgment before continuing, "We also need to go out and purchase a dresser for Parker tonight as we won't have time any other night this week."

"We can leave Maddie home with the younger kids," he suggested.

"That was my thought as well," he heard her nod.

"You okay?" he could hear the stress and fatigue in her voice.

"I'm fine," she blew out a long breath, then conceded. "Or I will be once this week is over. I want this transition to be as smooth as possible for Parker."

"It will be," he assured her, knowing the clean efficiency she always handled things with.

"I wish I shared your optimism," he heard her muffle another sigh and wasn't surprised at all when she changed the subject abruptly. "How's your back?"

"Stiff and sore," he grimaced at the reminder. "Fortunately I know this doctor who can fix me all up as good as new."

"I shouldn't," she protested, "and you should have known better in the first place."

He found a nearby chair and braced himself for a lecture, "Bones-"

"Don't 'Bones' me, Seeley Booth!" she reproved him. "You acted in an incredibly foolhardy manner for a man of your age and were fortunate nothing more serious happened."

"I'm 42, that's not an old man, Bones," he protested.

"You're not fourteen either," she told him flat out. "You could've just as easily broken a rib, punctured a lung, or damaged your back permanently. Hodgins said you had difficulty breathing for several minutes afterward."

"I've had the wind knocked out of me plenty of times," he silently cursed the bug man for narking on him, "and I promise: no more tackle football."

He knew she wouldn't believe him, but hoped it would at least buy him a reprieve until they were both home. Weary resignation leaked out of her voice as she told him she hoped so, then said she had to get going and finish her paperwork before it was time to leave.

"I'll see you at home," he promised, then added softly, "I love you, Bones."

It was so still on the other end he thought she'd hung up until she replied just above a whisper, "I love you too, Seeley."

Closing the phone with a soft snap, he stood up, muscles protesting every inch of the way as he did so, and headed for Mitchell's office, pausing along the way to chat with Charlie and a few of the guys from the old hockey team. Most of them- like Booth- had either gotten promoted and were working too much, or had gotten too old to take the physical punishment game after game. Booth figured he still had a few good seasons left in him, but what he didn't have was time for it in-between work and having three kids in their own sports. If he were being honest he'd have to admit that he was having just as much fun rooting them on in the stands as he'd had out on the ice.

Mitchell's secretary smiled when Booth walked in and sent him right back.

"Booth," the older man looked up with a smile on his face and rose to his feet, "come in, please. Shall we make ourselves comfortable?"

He moved around the desk and led the way to the cluster of furniture around the coffee table and gestured for Booth to sit down even as he did himself. There was a snifter along with a pair of tumblers on the table and Mitchell poured a modest amount for them both.

"Cheers," he proffered a toast and Booth could do little but meet it with his own glass, the crystal chiming merrily as the tumblers met in mid-air. "How's your family doing, Booth?"

B&B&B&B&B&B

While Booth met with his boss, Temperance was silently wishing for the days when he would call to whisk her from the lab to a crime scene. Plotting out the fake case for their students was always fun for her - an extension of her fiction writing - at the beginning. But now they were in the end stages of planning and the tedium of paperwork coupled with endless minutia of details that only she could authorize was getting to her. It was also promising to be a busy night with their family as well and the work week was only half over.

Her fingers flew lightly over the keyboard, typing up her final work email for the day and she allowed her mind to wander to the weekend. Surprises were something she generally abhorred, preferring to know ahead of time what was coming, and she searched her recent memories for clues as to what Booth might have planned. She was no closer to uncovering an answer when she realized she had finished the email and was ready to leave, however a small smirk did creep up the corner of her mouth as she discovered that there was, indeed, a case for her to solve.

For the rest of the day her senses were on high alert, straining for the slightest hint of what was being planned. Twice she spotted Seeley on his cell phone, clearly moving away to avoid her and once she almost got close enough to him to hear what he was saying. Subtle attempts to draw information from her two youngest quickly eliminated Sadie and Joey as suspects in the conspiracy. Maddie, on the other hand, appeared to have some role in it and was soon subjected to a barrage of questions from the anthropologist.

To her great disappointment, however, Maddie yielded no information of value and seemed to catch on fairly quickly to her mother's objective, even though the scientist felt she was being subtle enough. It was clear she would need to augment her methodology.

"It's not there, Bones," she could hear the smirk in his voice as he entered the study behind her.

Revealing nothing, she continued her perusal of his desk and replied casually, "What isn't?"

"Whatever you're looking for," she caught sight of him in her periphery, arms casually crossed over his chest as he leaned in the doorway.

"Ah, here it is," she exclaimed, as if the stray piece of paperwork had been her primary objective all along.

"Uh huh," his tone dripped with disbelief. "Are you lying to me, Bones?"

"I will discover what you are up to," her chin jutted out as she turned to face him. "I'm an excellent investigator."

"Squint," he corrected, then tapped his chest haughtily. "I'm the cop, remember?"

"I have the superior intellect," she took a step closer to him.

"I've got my gut."

"As far as I can tell," she poked at his abdominal muscles, "the only thing in your gut is pie."

"Mmmm," he licked his lips. "Pie is good. But I'm still better at this than you."

Her rebuttal options were dwindling rapidly so she drew herself to her full height, leaned in close and whispered silkily in his ear, as her fingers lightly traced the image on his belt buckle, "Go ahead then; be a cop."

He was still standing stock still as she sauntered away, her sultry laugh taunting him as she went off in search of more evidence.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B

Nothing can prepare a person for times of crisis. These moments come unannounced and unscripted, leaving their victims unsettled. She is a woman of science and reason and right now the science is not her ally. It tells her things she does not want to hear.

She wants to believe him. That he will be fine. It is a mantra she desperately repeats as he is being prepped for surgery. He has to be fine. He will be fine. Or he could die.

She has seen how quickly things can change. How fast a body can lose its energy and its warmth. Death has always fascinated her, and the quiet peacefulness that typically surrounds her as she unlocks a body's secrets were oddly intriguing. But this man's secrets are already hers and there is no peace here. Only the quiet hope that her heart can be strong enough for both of them this time.


	12. Life is a Highway

Life is a Highway  
_  
_

Despite her best efforts, Temperance's investigation into her husband's surprise plans for the weekend yielded her nothing. Booth, for his part, had not made it easy on her. After the first day he'd stated laying a trail of false clues; some of which she didn't identify as fake until they'd already led her astray. Work and the children's schedules had also grown more involved as the week went on, leaving her very little spare time and a fair number of headaches. As the workweek drew to an end she was fast concluding that she would have to admit defeat.

"Where's Studly?" Angela greeted her friend as Parker, Maddie, Joey, and Sadie trooped by on their way into the Hodgins' estate.

"He's meeting me at home," she said with a small frown. "His appointments at the FBI have been going late the last two nights and he was unsure when he would be getting off."

"Well," the artist gave a soft smile, "you go home, then, and don't worry about a thing."

Twenty minutes and one final round of "good-byes" from the children later, Brennan finally took her leave. She couldn't help the small pang of sadness that struck as the empty driveway came into view, though she tried to reason that it would give her more time to pack. With that in mind, she dropped her work bag off in her office and headed upstairs to prepare her things.

The next thing she was aware of was a pair of soft lips being pressed up against hers as they informed her, "Time to get up, Sleepy Bones."

"We could just stay here," she told him with a languorous yawn.

"Mmm, tempting," he grinned, offering her a hand up, "but I think you'll like what I've got planned better."

"It better be," she groused. "You've been quite secretive and you know how vexed I can become when I don't know what's going on."

"You mean the Queen Squint couldn't figure this one out?" he teased as she moved to the bag she'd finished packing before laying down to rest. "A _cop_ beat you?"

"If I say yes will you tell me what we're doing?" she finished applying a touch more makeup, giving herself a quick once-over to make sure her appearance was suitable for wherever they might end up going.

He shook his head, obviously enjoying the power he had over her as he reached in the back of his closet and produced his own overnight bag, "Let's hit the road, Bones!"

She smiled, allowing him to take her bag as well as she let the way to the garage.

"Uh, uh," Booth spoke from behind her, settling a hand on her shoulder as he steered her, "this way.

Instead of leading her out to the garage, they moved through the house to the entryway and out the front door. She felt her breath catch at the sight in front of her. The late summer sun caught the '69 GTO at just the right angle, making the red seem just a tad bit richer and fuller. The chrome grill-work sparkled in the sunlight as well and the wheel coverings – whose proper name she could not recall – stood in sharp relief with the black tires.

"You finished it!" she breathed.

"Yup," his pride evident in his voice as she took in the project he had been slowly chipping away at over the last five years.

"Can I drive?" came the eager question.

"You can drive us home," he promised, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It's kinda hard to drive when you don't know where we're going."

She turned so that she was in his arms and smiled sweetly, "You could rectify that by telling me."

"And spoil the surprise?" he scoffed. "Nah."

He ushered her into the passenger's seat and before she could stop him he slipped a tie around her head, covering her eyes, and ordered her to keep it on while he moved to the driver's side.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

"May I take this off yet?" a very impatient Temperance asked as they drove, readjusting the blindfold yet again.

"Sure," he shrugged, knowing well enough she'd take it off soon even if he didn't say yes.

"Where are we?" she wanted to know right away, though that didn't stop her from peering out the windows to try and figure it out on her own.

"In one of the four states within spitting distance of DC," he chuckled, enjoying her frustrated huffs and wrinkled nose.

"We're on the Beltway," she deduced quickly. "Still in Virginia somewhere."

"Yep," he nodded, proud of her for getting that much so fast. "You still don't have a clue where we're going, though, do you?"

It took her a handful of seconds to admit that she didn't and on any other night he would've crowed in triumph and teased her to no small end. Tonight, though, was a night for celebrating, not bickering, so he let it go with the barest hint of a smirk.

"Here we go," he commented just a few minutes later as he took the exit he needed. "Recognize where we are now?"

She didn't say anything at first, but as they came closer to their destination he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face at her intake of breath.

"L'Auberge Chez Francois," she whispered just loud enough for him to catch.

"Bingo, Baby," he winked.

The parking lot was full, but that was fine with Booth, who wanted to park the GTO far away from the general parking anyway. To his delight she stayed in her seat until he came around to open the door for her, and as she stepped out and took in the sight of the restaurant where they'd had their first date, her eyes widened and filled with the child-like awe that made his knees weak and his heart beat just a little bit faster.

"Good surprise?" he asked casually, slipping an arm around her waist and pulling her close.

"Excellent," she dragged her eyes from the building to the man by her side. "The car, the restaurant," she smiled, "everything."

"Let's hope they still make a mean steak," Booth waggled his eyebrows.

Temperance laughed, wrapping her own arm around him and leaning into him as they moved forward, feeling the weight of all the tension back in DC slip from her shoulders for the time being.

**B&B&B&B&B**

The food was just as good as it had been seven years ago and they lingered over dessert, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and present company far too much to want to leave just yet.

"Why are we here, Seeley?" she asked with a soft smile.

"Here as in the restaurant or here as in on this trip?" he asked in return.

"Both," she replied earnestly. "We just got back from vacation last week."

"That was a family thing," he waved a hand, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "This is just for _us_."

"For our anniversary?" she guessed.

"Yep, but not the one you're thinking of," he played with his fork. "Do you remember what you were doing ten years ago, ten days from now?"

"Ten years from next Tuesday?" she said out loud as she sifted through her memories. "I was on a plane flying back from Guatemala."

"And then?" he prompted.

A sly smile blossomed as understanding came, "And then I was absconded by Homeland Security until a brazen FBI agent came in posing as my rescuer, when in fact he'd orchestrated the entire thing himself in an effort to persuade me to help him on a case. Which I'd pointedly told him I would _not_ do ever again after he manhandled me."

A shadow of a frown crossed Booth's face and he reached across the table for her hand, "I shouldn't have done that, Bones. I shouldn't have pushed you out."

She wore a sad smile, freeing her hand from his and laying it gently on his cheek, "I wasn't fully in the right that day, either."

He moved his hand up to cover hers on his cheek and their eyes met. Time slowed down and stretched out, narrowing the world to just the two of them as it had so many times before. Both of them were replaying that argument from so long ago; the day both of them managed to take a stab at the others' hidden wounds before they'd even known each other.

Booth cleared his throat and reached inside his suit jacket, withdrawing a long, flat box, "So this is for you."

He placed the velvet box in her hand and leaned back in his seat. Her fingers traced the lid, then carefully pried it open. Pillowed in the satin was a platinum-chained necklace so shiny it caught the light and reflected it back at her.

"It's beautiful," she smiled, lifting it carefully from the box and admiring the heart-shaped pinkish stone that had been polished flat and hung on the chain.

Before she could dissuade him, he was out of his chair and had taken the necklace gently from her hands and was fastening around her neck, dropping a small kiss where the fastened clasp came to rest. She looked down at where the stone fell just above the neckline of her dress, moving her left hand up to rub a finger over the cool, smooth surface of the pendant. It was only then that she noticed the two inscriptions carved on either side in flowing script. The first was the date of their wedding anniversary, but when she flipped it over she frowned at the unexpected date five years prior to the first one, attempting to recall its significance and failing.

"That's the day I knew," he explained softly when her questioning eyes sought his out.

"Knew?"

"I-" suddenly the conversation seemed far too intimate and the restaurant far too public for what he wanted to tell her so he stopped abruptly. "Hold that thought," he smiled, lifting a hand to flag down the waiter for the check.

He could feel her eyes boring a hole through the side of his head as he paid the bill and guided her through the maze of tables and out into the night. The cooler air nipped at them, reminding them that fall was just around the corner, though not quite there yet, and he helped tuck her wrap around her shoulders. Wordlessly, he linked his arm with hers and guided her toward a small gazebo nestled in the garden to the side of the building.

"Seeley," she addressed him softly as they sat down, their knees touching though they were on two opposite benches facing one another, "are you alright?"

He let out a long breath and tried to gather his thoughts again, then shook his head and met her eyes, "You know when you picture something perfectly in your mind and then it flops in real life?"

She inclined her head just the slightest bit, but said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"I've been waiting long enough to do this so I want to get it right and in there," he chucked a thumb back toward the restaurant, "wasn't right."

The moonlight caught the platinum of her necklace and he reached forward, grazing the stone with his rough fingertips.

"This," he flipped the heart over on the back side, "was the day that I knew this," he touched the front side where their wedding date was etched, "would happen someday."

He heard her soft intake of breath as she understood, "My lecture?"

His head bobbed up and down while his fingers freed the pendant and traced their way up her neck, pausing to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear before settling on her strong jawline as he confessed, "From the moment I laid eyes on you at the front of that classroom, Bones, something in me _knew_ that there was something special between us." His hand dropped to her lap to take hold of hers, "The kind of something that takes root and binds people together for thirty, forty, fifty years."

His thumb and forefinger brushed either side of her wedding and engagement rings, causing her to look down at his, the thick, gold band still gleaming despite the years of wear that were also evident. Her mind processed what he was saying, attempting to frame it in terms that were easier for her to comprehend.

"Love at first sight?" she knew her voice held a trace of skepticism despite her best efforts to the contrary.

"Do you remember the question I asked you?" he asked in lieu of a response.

Her head nodded as her lips quirked, "I still don't believe in fate, Seeley."

"And I still do," he returned with a wide grin, eyes twinkling.

**A/N: So I've been very busy with Project Bones, a group with some great summer projects including a Bones World Map and a Bones Baby Book. We're also raising money for some amazing charities. Check out our twitter account Project_Bones for more info. I also wanted to give you a heads up that I'm going on vacation next week so look for an update two Mondays from now. Hope you are all having a great summer!**

Gum :)**  
**


	13. Kandi

Kandi (by One Eskimo)  
_  
_

They sat there, hands and eyes fused together, for some time, neither particularly wanting the moment to end. Then as if on a hidden cue they rose one after the other and walked arm and arm back to the car.

"Are we going to a Jazz club now?" Temperance asked with a light chuckle, smoothing her skirt as they settled in the car.

A ghost of a smile touched Booth's lips remembering the club - and the very provocative dress - his wife had worn to the first Jazz club they'd gone to but he shook his head, "Not tonight."

"So we're going back to the city?" she guessed, her curiosity revived with this new mystery.

"You want to go home?" he asked, though she could tell that was not his plan and she shook her head. "Good," the grin split his face as he slipped the key in the ignition and put it in gear, "I was thinking of some place a little more fun."

"The apartment?" a thrill of excitement rushed through her at the prospect. For years now, the apartment she'd lived in before they were married had served as the perfect retreat; providing them with an insular environment that still left them available to work should their services be called upon. It wasn't uncommon for them to leave the children with Jack and Angela and sneak away to the apartment for a night or two; though the frequency of their visits had decreased as their parental responsibilities increased. The last time they'd gone there had been seven months ago and the prospects of any other free time arising were few with the onset of the school year.

Her metaphorical heart sank at the shake of his head and she tried hard to mask her reaction, hoping the darkness and his focus on the highway would work in her favor as well. It must have for while he didn't offer up any more clues as to where they were going, he didn't question her silence either. A radio DJ announced it was time for another twenty minutes of uninterrupted songs and the silence spread comfortably as they took in the music and the night. As the breeze tossed her hair freely she tried to work out the puzzle of where they might be going next, but eventually she gave up in favor of enjoying the moment for what it was: a night free of parental and work duties in the company of arguably her favorite person in the world.

The disappointment of not going to the apartment dissipated like a vapor as Booth eased the car into the small parking lot of a cozy-looking bed and breakfast. He shouldered their overnight bags, leaving him a free hand to wrap around her waist as they moved up the walkway and into the house. A friendly woman greeted them warmly and to Temperance's relief the hostess merely handed over the key without extraneous dialogue. Both of them were silently thankful that no one was in the common room to disturb them as they crossed the room, fingers still loosely connected, and climbed the stairs to their room.

After the long week they'd had both at work and at home, the thought of the jacuzzi was too good to pass on, so while Booth unpacked their bags, Temperance made her way to the bathroom and started the water, adding some of the bath oils that were there for them, and lighting the candles that had been set along the back shelf behind the tub. By the time Booth came in clad in nothing but his socks littered with little cartoon skulls and boxers that matched, the air was rich and fragrant, the atmosphere calm and relaxed, and his wife was already in the water, beckoning him to join her.

He didn't require much persuasion to shuck the rest of his clothes and sink into the water beside her, his eyes noting with a gleam of satisfaction that she still wore her new necklace. Strong, deft fingers traced his jawline as she kissed him, then grasped his shoulders, turning him until his back was toward her. Then she began massaging his shoulders, working out every knot as they went. He was nearly asleep when she reached his spine, and felt her touch grew softer, not wanting to re-aggravate his football bruises. By the time she finished, he was thoroughly relaxed, but more than eager to return the favor. Halfway though, she peeked her head around her shoulder and slyly asked him if this would be a happy ending massage. He had no objections to that whatsoever.

**B&B&B&B&B&B**

Temperance didn't know what time it was when she stepped out of the jacuzzi and dried off and she found it truly didn't matter. The warm water had melted away the last remnants of her stress and her husband had sated the cravings she'd been feeling all week but hadn't had time to indulge in. She padded across the thick carpet into the main bedroom area while Seeley insisted he would take care of everything in the bathroom.

As she looked around the room for a place to hang her towel once she was in her pajamas, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Placing the towel carefully over the nearest chair she went to investigate, intrigued to find a closed rosebud, sitting atop a neatly folded piece of paper on the pillow on the side of the bed where she normally slept at home. Carefully palming the rosebud, she smiled at the familiar scrawl on the top of the outside fold, though the fact that it was her given name he'd written wasn't exactly what she had been expecting. Curious, she opened the letter and drank in its contents as she sank into the bed.

_Dear Temperance,_

_So what do you think? Good surprise or bad? I must've considered a dozen places to take you before finally deciding I wanted to take you somewhere familiar; finding this bed and breakfast so close was just icing on the cake._

_ I guess by now you're wondering why I've addressed this letter, on both the outside and the inside, with your first name and I suppose the easiest way to explain that is to explain the rosebud first. Though come to think of it the rosebud's significance is tied to the necklace._

_ The date on the back of the necklace, as I should've told you by now, is the day we met in that classroom eleven years ago. Just thinking about that first meeting makes me smile, even though what came not too long afterward doesn't. So when I thought about what kind of flower to get you that would match this letter - metaphorically speaking - what I settled on was a rosebud._

_ You see the thing about rosebuds that are cut for flower shops is that they never get to be all that they could've been. I know you aren't the kind of person who regrets things, but I am, and when I think about those first thirteen months that we knew each other but lost to our own stubbornness and selfishness it makes me sad, Bones. Like the rosebud, we had so much potential- maybe not as lovers at that point, but definitely as friends- but it never got to blossom; not until so much time had gone by that we had to start at square one and rebuild our trust in one another._

_ Sometimes, when we'd get into those crazy arguments, or got so close to each other physically that I just wanted to grab you and kiss you senseless, I'd think back and wonder if I would've been able to hold you closer, sooner, if I hadn't pushed you away that first time. I also gotta admit that every time you referred to yourself, or the way you thought others saw you, as cold or unfeeling I wondered if you felt that way because of the angry words I'd hurled at you as you stalked away from me. That thought made me sting long after the pain on my cheek had faded.  
_

_ I never apologized for those harsh words, but I am now: I'm sorry, Temperance- my dear, Bones- please forgive me?_

_ So that brings us back to my decision to use your "real" first name for this letter. Mainly I chose that because at this point in our journey, that was who you were to me. I remember loving the irony of finding a spitfire named "Temperance" who was so different from anyone I'd ever met, or have met since. Plus...maybe you'll think I'm crazy, but I don't like other guys calling you "Bones" mostly because I don't think they deserve to, and at that point in time,_ _**I** didn't deserve to call you that either._

_ Okay, I've babbled on way longer than I meant to so I'll wrap this up by saying I love you, and I'm glad that we've more than made up for that lost thirteen months._

**B&B&B&B&B**

It was with shaky hands that she set the letter on the bed, looking up at the man who at some point had joined her on the bed and now offered to hold her.

"Shoes?" she sniffed back her impending tears, pointing to the signature at the bottom of the missive.

"It was cute," he smiled back at her. "Maybe it didn't stick quite as well as 'Bones' but it was a cute attempt on your part. Not to mention you thought you were being so clever at the time."

Booth yawned, making her yawn as well, and they exchanged a smile as he turned off the lights and pulled her gently under the covers, settling immediately into the familiar comfort of each others' arms.

"Good night, Shoes," she smiled sleepily.

"Good night, Bones."


	14. Bring on the Wonder

Bring on the Wonder  
_  
_

Shafts of soft, golden sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains of the cozy bed and breakfast and roused Booth from his sleep, though at the moment he had no inclination to move. Cocooned within the warmth of his embrace, his wife slept; her face a mask of utter serenity, far removed from the stresses of their everyday lives.

It wasn't often that he allowed himself to wish for a different life. A life that didn't involve vicious and violent killers. A life that didn't put himself and all of his loved ones in danger or require family discussions that included lessons on what to do if you were kidnapped. Shifting into a role that was part instructor, part field officer had offered them a modicum of protection, of course. But they still got called in on the toughest cases, which usually meant they dealt with the worst of the bad guys. By now they'd also put enough criminals away that there was always some guy - or girl - who wrote pissed off, threatening letters to them going on and on about the revenge said guy or girl was going to exact on them for "ruining" their lives.

Booth knew deep down, though, that for as much as he dreamed about a "normal" life it wouldn't suit either he or Bones. Oh sure, weekends like this were fabulous and they'd managed to go on more than a few great family vacations with the kids over the year, but give them a few unannounced days off in the middle of the week with nothing to do and they were lost. He liked to tease that she was the worst of the pair, but really it was he who chafed the most under inactivity. He couldn't just "do" nothing.

"Stop," her muffled voice floated up from the pillow.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently, feathering her neck with soft kisses to distract her.

"Your thinking is disrupting my sleep patterns," she muttered, snuggling deeper into his embrace and pulling the covers up over her head.

"What?" he replied in mock shock. "Is the uber-rational Dr. Brennan postulating that thoughts can-"

He was cut off by the pleasant sensation of her soft lips pressing into his, urging him to shut up and kiss her. He did.

Sunday morning was quickly fading into Sunday afternoon as the couple languished in bed, savoring the precious hours of nothingness. Conversation drifted from one lighthearted topic to the next but they were both feeling utterly relaxed and refreshed.

"I'm hungry," Temperance suddenly declared when they parted from yet another long kiss, slowly sitting up and stretching as she did so.

"I'm Booth," he teased, "good to meet you."

They bantered back and forth as they showered, then dressed, then finally headed downstairs for some food.

"So how long have you two lovebirds been together?" their kindly hostess from the night before asked as she poured their coffee. "No, wait, let me guess..."

She went abruptly silent, closing her eyes and prompting a secret grin to be exchanged by the couple as they waited.

"No less than seven but no more than ten," her words left their mouths agape and it was her turn to grin. "You two have an ease with each other that only comes by practicin'," she smiled softly. "That'll do you well if you want to be a survivor."

"A survivor?" Booth beat his wife to the question.

Th woman chuckled as if she got that question a lot, then replied in here lilting Irish accent, "Aye lad, you don't get to be my age in this business without learning a thing or two about marriage. The ones that mate for life never just have it handed to them. They're the folks who make time for each other at places like mine so that they aren't strangers by the time the wee ones take flight. They don't take problems layin' down, either, but fight them side by side. The survivors don't make it to the end of life's road together by chance, Mr. Booth; they get there through sheer determination and strength of character. Now, what'll you dears be having to eat?"

And with an enigmatic smile, the veneer of the polite hostess was back, as if she'd said her piece and now it was up to them to decide what to do with it. They ordered the fairly sizable brunch for two and were left to sip their coffee in contemplative silence.

"Well at least she thinks we're gonna make it," offered Booth after the food had arrived.

"I would suspect she's been exposed to a plethora of couples over the years," Temperance nodded, "And she appears to possess keen observation skills. I would most likely be a fascinating profession."

"Running a bed and breakfast?" Booth popped a slice of bacon in his mouth while raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yes," she nodded earnestly. "The opportunities to observe human behavior in a controlled environment such as this is something I would very much enjoy."

"Booth and Bones' Bed and Breakfast," he grinned cheekily. "Angela would have a field day with that."

"She would insist on being our interior decorator," Temperance chuckled knowingly.  
"Hodgins could be the gardener," Booth's grin widened.

This prompted a listing of all of their friends and family until each was ascribe a suitable position.

"I agree," Temperance laughed, sipping the remainder of her coffee, "Dr. Wyatt would make an excellent head chef."

"Speaking of chefs," Booth leaned back in his chair and patted his now full stomach, "whoever cooks the meals here needs a raise because that meal was delicious."

"I'll pass along your compliments to my Patrick," their hostess materialized at the table, collecting the dishes with practiced ease as she spoke, "though the Good Lord knows that man doesn't need a bigger ego than he's already got."

She went on to ask them if they'd like any more coffee and they declined politely, but thanked her all the same. Leaving the dining area, Temperance announced she was going to peruse the house's small library while Booth offered to head back upstairs and pack their things. Nodding she agreed and left him to the task.

As her husband's footsteps faded, Temperance found the small alcove of books that had been tucked away and inhaled deeply. This wasn't merely a collect of popular interest novels to catch a person's eye, but rather the kind with books that had transcended generations and left a rich, musty smell in the air that reminded her of various libraries she'd visited throughout the world. With near reverence she traced the worn spine of one of her favorite classics, recalling her mother's voice and the fragrance of her perfume.

Alongside those memories were more recent ones. Cradling a two year-old Sadie and reading until the little girl's heavy eyelids fluttered shut for the night. Patiently reading alongside a frustrated Joey as he struggled to catch up to his peers in school over the summers. Watching as Maddie went from listening to her read from the top of the steps, to the other side of the room, to timidly sitting down right beside her, slowly letting her guard down as they strolled though the plights of the young Mary Lennox.

A glint of sunlight reflecting off of glass caught her eye, drawing her back to the present and capturing her attention as she moved to investigate. One pale, yellow rose looked back at her from its crystal vase on the windowsill, its petals not yet in full bloom. To her great surprise the envelope propped up by the vase had the word "Bones" scrawled across it.

There was a comfortable chair at the corner of the window that was warm with the sunlight and she sat down. Carefully, she reached up and plucked the envelope from its resting place, turning it over in her hands before gently lifting the flap and pulling out the papers from within.

_Dear Bones,_  
_Not sure how this letter will be delivered to you but I hope it was good and that you're surprised. Much like the rosebud yesterday symbolized those first thirteen months we knew each other, this is for our first full year of partnership. At first I was going to get you daffodils for this year, but then Maddie gave me this list of all the things different colored roses stand for and I couldn't resist._

_Every guy who gives girls flowers knows that yellow roses are for friends, but what I also discovered is that they stand for new beginnings too. That's appropriate for our first year as partners, isn't it? I'm not sure during the first few cases we worked that you could have called us "friends" but we were working on it and it was a fresh start after that disastrous first case. I know I wasn't very patient with you squints back then and you guys still didn't get where I was coming from either but I'd like to think that over the years we've sorted all of that out._

_Moments like helping Hodgins skip his first donor's banquet, watching you get high from that crazy meth in the wall, getting my own Jeffersonian badge, and you dragging me out to the desert so that I could "get Federal on their ass" are moments that helped rebuild our friendship and trust. If I close my eyes I can still remember the fear that struck through me the moment I realized whose side Kenton was really on and the panic I felt the whole way to New Orleans until I'd made sure with my own eyes that you were alive and okay. If anything those fears for your safety have multiplied and deepened over the years we've been together, but my love for you has done them same so it all evens out in the end._

_Thanks for giving me - and us - a second chance, Bones._

_Love,_  
_Booth_

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

_A survivor._

_The words rattle in his mind as he sleeps, urging him to hang on for all he was worth._

_A survivor._

_For her the words keep her sane. Though they are never spoken out loud, they are an intangible feeling she clings to with all the intensity she possesses._

_A survivor._

_He has to pull through, they both know, because surrendering to anything less than that single life shared is not an option either one of them are sure they can survive.  
_


	15. What a Wonderful World it Would Be

What A Wonderful World It Would Be

Temperance returned to the room with a soft smile on her face and the rose gently clasped in her fingers to find her husband diligently packing their belongings.

"Thank you," she told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she sat down on the bed.

Booth shrugged, then grinned widely, informing her, "Yellow roses also can stand for joy."

She looked down at the rose, then back up at him, her thoughts not far from the letter in her pocket and answered softly, "I love my gift, Booth."

"And I love you," he replied with a kiss before pressing something cool and metallic into her hand.

It was her turn to grin widely at the keys in her hand and she wasted no time packing the rest of their things and checking them. Ignoring the setting sun and the cooler air they rode back home with the roof down, breaking into loud, off-key renditions of their favorite songs as she proved what an excellent driver she truly was.

What she could not have known was that the roses she'd received so far were just the beginning. On Monday she came back to her office after an exhausting day of dealing with the new group of students to find a pair of orange roses along with a letter that spoke of her desire for truth, her enthusiasm for their job, and how working beside her that second year as they'd faced everything from Howard Epps, to the Gravedigger, to her father, Booth's trust in her had grown. It was that year, his letter said, that her realized just how important to him she'd become and he admitted to the relief he'd felt when she chose not to sail off into the sunset with Sully.

Tuesday, a trio of blue roses materialized on the nightstand by her side of their bed when she came out from her shower and she ended up eating nothing more than coffee for breakfast, having reread the note that accompanied it so many times. Standing at the altar with her had seemed so unattainable, he'd written, but it had made him dare to hope. It was fascinating to hear his perspective on having to break the news to her that Zach was shipping off to Iraq and what it had been like for him when she'd taken refuge in the lab for the next three months; hiding from Booth and the rest of the world. "It took a serial killer to lure you out," he joked in the letter, "but it felt so good to have you back. To have us back. You kissed my hand, my cheek, and my lips that year," he wrote. "It was a good year."

And it had been a good year, she mused as she and Angela ate lunch together later that day. That had been the year when she'd recognized that her family wasn't necessarily comprised of the people who'd abandoned her so many years before, but rather her friends who'd stood by her and cared about her. Ironically it was that family - especially Angela and Booth - who had ultimately helped her forgive her father and work on her relationship with Russ.

All day Wednesday she wondered about what that day's letter would contain. Whether it would touch on Booth's fake death and Zach's betrayal or not. That year had not had the best of beginnings. The roses she found on her desk after lunch that afternoon, however, were white, and the letter - while it did touch on those early months just a bit - focused more on the events of the fall: the dance in her living room; their first date; the Candi Lane case; their wedding.

"I never thought," Booth confided in print, "that one case could impact us so much. Could give us a family. Other people might think it was a bizarre way to start a marriage and I guess it is if you really think about it. But it was perfect for us and I wouldn't change anything about it."

She was not the type of person who would spend time wondering what could have happened had events unfolded differently, but she did agree that the Candi Lane case had affected their lives profoundly and she felt no regret for the decisions that had been made, even if they had been rushed at the time.

B&B&B&B&B&B

"Another surprise date?" Temperance teased her husband as the kids scrambled all around them for backpacks and homework in the morning rush, waving the short note she'd found near her coffee mug at him.

"No surprise," he shook his head. "I want to go to the diner."

"We just went there," she pointed out, putting the finishing touches on Sadie's pigtails and kissing the girl lightly on the top of her head.

"For dessert," Booth corrected, twirling a finger around the room, "and with all these monkeys. I'm talking dinner at the diner with no kids."

"I'm not a monkey!" protested Sadie.

"Wanna bet?" Joey goaded her.

Before the situation could devolve any faster, Temperance quickly stated that it was time to leave. Fortunately, the conversation once they were loaded into the SUV quickly turned to football and soccer. Sadie's first game was only three days away, while the boys still had another week to go. Parker claimed that was fine with him since high school homework was proving to be harder than he thought it would be between practices, but Joey shrugged off the work as he was eager to get on the field and in a real uniform as soon as possible. Maddie teased them both that if they'd give up the sports they'd have plenty of time for homework, but they scoffed and teased right back about her nose always being buried in a book.

Temperance shook her head as the last child exited the car, pleased that they all got along so well but thankful for the quiet that now settled over the SUV. There was a light conversation between the couple as they drove on to work, mostly revolving around the fake case their students were investigation and which ones they felt were doing the best.

The morning passed quickly with the partners trading off classroom duties and more "developments" being made in the fake case over at the lab. That afternoon they were scheduled to go to a "crime scene" to put into practice the evidence-gathering techniques they'd gone over the previous day.

"Ready to go?" Booth asked, popping his head in Angela's office where the two women sat comparing notes for their brief lecture at the end of the day.

A carefully sculpted eyebrow was arched so Booth elaborated, "To the diner. For our date."

"I thought you said dinner," Temperance laughed.

"Yeah well, Sadie has soccer, the boys have football, Maddie is going to a symposium, and Hodgins has some crazy new scheme for the case he wants to run by me," Booth shrugged. "So are you ready to go?"

"Ah, parenthood," Angela sighed dramatically, then laughed, nudging her friend to get up. "We're good to go here. You two kids have fun, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Yeah," Booth gave a crooked smile over his shoulder as they left, "that narrows it down."

He didn't give the artist time to reply but ushered Temperance out of the office and across the lab as fast as he could get away with and not get slowed down by some squintern with a question for Dr. Brennan. When the lab doors slid closed behind them he breathed a long sigh of relief and flung an arm around his wife while leaning over to peck her on the cheek.

"Are you going to pee on my leg too," she jabbed him in the ribs, sporting a teasing grin.

"Only if that Greg guy from archeology stops ogling you," he winked.

"He complimented my dress," she rolled her eyes as the city traffic hummed around them. "Once. A year ago."

"While he was ogling you," Booth made a face.

She shrugged and decided it was time to change the subject, "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Yep," he grinned easily, "are you?"

A smile lit her face as she nodded. It was the session that they both enjoyed teaching the most; one that highlighted their partnership in a way that never failed to get the students' attention. The first time they'd done it it had been something of a joke, but it had proved to be most effective and they'd stuck with it ever since.

Booth ushered her into the diner and enjoyed the look of delight on her face as she spotted the vase at their usual table and the five lavender roses it held.

"No letter?" she managed to smirk as they sat down.

"Not here," he shook his head.

"But you did write one?"

He nodded, enjoying her consternation as the waitress took their order. When he'd first come up with the idea he hadn't been sure she'd like the idea. Or if she'd get bored after the first few days. But every day he'd found a different way to deliver them and so far, at least, she seemed to enjoy them. He also liked that for all the knowledge stored in her head she hadn't known what the different colored roses meant; so for once he was the one teaching her something. Lavender roses, he informed her with a smile, stood for enchantment.

They spent the next hour talking about their fifth year as partners and their first as a married couple. It hadn't been an easy one with a two year-old to care for most of the year and Maddie and Joey over the summer months but they'd survived. Figuring out the balance between their personal lives and their private lives had been something too but they had worked things out to the degree where it wasn't even an issue any more.

Far too soon, however, their time was up and Cam called to report that Hodgins was about two seconds away from blowing up the lab and Cam was two seconds away from firing him.

"Once more to the breach, dear friend," Booth muttered under his breath as they tossed money on the table and headed off for the lab.

And Brennan, recognizing the bastardization of Shakespeare, smiled. She knew what that meant.


	16. In Loving Memory

In Loving Memory (Alter Bridge)

A rogue thunderstorm Thursday night made for a rushed Friday morning as the power had flicked off at some point during the night, knocking out all of the alarms in the Booth household. Fortunately Booth himself had never been one to sleep in and had gotten up with just enough time to hurry the kids into school clothes and load them in the car.

He came back to find his wife dressed and ready for the day, but cleaning up from the hurried breakfast. Hodgins was leading the early morning session today so they had an extra hour before they had to go in. Side by side they loaded the last of the dishes into the dishwasher and she suggested with a smirk that he should probably change out of the sweatpants he'd thrown on. Throwing her a salute he headed up, grabbed a shower, and picked out the suit he'd been setting aside for this day.

"Booth!" came the call from downstairs, causing him to chuckle.

"I'm coming, Bones!" he called back, straightening his tie and moving his hands through his hair for at least the tenth time.

He realized halfway down the hall that he'd left his suit jacket in the bedroom and he had to double back fast, then hoof it down the stairs before she hollered for him again, panting with the effort by the time he made it to her.

"I do not holler, Seeley Booth," she groused as they made for the SUV.

"You know you look ten years younger in that outfit," he ignored her and waggled his eyebrows, flinging an arm around her. "Fifteen with the ponytail."

"Mmm," she she gave him a once over as they stopped at her door, turning to run a hand down his skinny, black tie. "You look younger as well. You know anthropologically speaking, para-militaristic organizations tend to constrain individuality."

"I've heard that," he grinned, using a hip to press her gently against the vehicle.

Her grin was wider than his and her eyes shone bright as she went along with the role-play, "But in any group, no matter how restrictive," here she leaned forward to purr the last of the thought in his ear, "the free thinkers; the mavericks; rebels with leadership quality, find ways to declare their distinctiveness."

"I," he said between pressing kisses to her neck, "am a free-thinking rebel."

She let out something between a laugh and a giggle, kissing him firmly before laying both hands on his chest and pushing him gently backward, "We need to go."

"Hookey?" he asked, even as he laid one last peck on her cheek and moved around to the driver's side; though not before whispering, "Later."

The drive was uneventful and shorter than normal since the morning traffic had thinned out. She teased, asking if he'd hidden flowers in the glove box today and he laughed, reminding her that patience was a virtue; she told him "temperance" was as well. He had no time to come up wth a properly witty rebuttal as they made it with only a few minutes to spare before their class was scheduled to begin.

"You got everything?" Booth double-checked as they stood outside the building.

"Yes," she assured him forcefully. "Now go, or you'll ruin the surprise."

"Knock 'em dead, Baby," he told her, before stuffing his hands in his pockets and turning away.

She watched him walk around the side of the building until he was out of sight, then proceeded into the building herself, greeting their students along the way. The room was nearly filled when she got there but she strode up the aisle with confidence, as if almost being late had been her plan all along.

She watched the audience as she opened the lecture, observing that this group of students responded much the same way as their other classes had in years prior. An air of polite curiosity hung about them, surprised to see Dr. Brennan by herself when nearly all of their other classes had been taught jointly by the partners. Still, the topic was on defleshing techniques, which fell clearly into her realm of expertise so no thoughts were voiced out loud.

As the familiar words passed through her lips, her mind traveled back to the first time they'd decided to reenact their first meeting. It had been Booth's idea - of course - dressing just as he had this morning in his government-issue black suit, with a black tie, and shiny black shoes and insisting she dig through her closet and find her red top and flowered skirt. At first she'd been hesitant but then he pointed out that if they bickered like they'd done that first time it could be a good teaching tool. He must've seen the skepticism still lurking in her eyes because from there he'd turned on the charm and begged until she had thrown up her hands in defeat and caved. She was teaching the same lecture, after all, and it could be kind of fun.

It had been fun and in the performances following that first one they'd honed their routine down so perfectly it was effortless. She segued into the final part of the lecture and right on cue, the door at the back of the classroom opened and Booth slipped in. Without looking she knew that his eyes were fixed on her, following her around the stage as she tried desperately not to look over and draw attention to him.

Soon enough, he drew attention to himself, opening with the same question he had all those years before. Her response was the same and the bickering moved from there, like a graceful dance where both parties knew the steps by heart. She could see a vein in his neck throbbing, but his nostrils flared and her body reacted to his on a purely chemical level.

"Do you believe in fate?" he grinned smugly at her, oozing testosterone.

"Absolutely not," her lips quirked, voice as stubborn as always though her eyes danced with mischief at the secret they now shared.

Memories of tequila-tinged kisses in the rain fueled her side of the grin they shared, along with a thousand memories of other kisses, but instead of giving into their basic instincts they turned as one to face their students and began the second half of the lecture on the importance of realizing that a partnership often consists of two differing perspectives.

From the corner of her eye she caught him shake his head briefly as if to focus and it was then she noticed the beads of perspiration dripping from his neck. Her eyes catalogued details that her mind raced to make sense of as her previous mirth faded to concern. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, she knew, watching him turn toward her as if he were trying to say something and couldn't.

He dropped to the floor like a stone and lay motionless.

Around her the classroom dissolved into chaos as phones appeared and an ambulance was summoned, but she heard none of it as her eyes were focused solely on the man she knelt beside, shouting his name in the vain hope that he would respond and come back to her.


	17. Broken

Broken (Lifehouse)

Booth felt himself floating in a dark place for a long time but when consciousness finally returned to him, he recognized the sterile smell and the discomfort settling in his back.

"Bones," he rasped, his eyes scanning the room to find her.

He couldn't see her, but he could hear her voice through the thin curtain divider and his panic level went down a notch. Bones was here. She was obviously taking charge of the situation so whatever was going on he knew he was in good hands. The talking stopped and one pair of footsteps moved away from him while the other turned toward him just as a hand grasped the curtain and pulled it to one side.

Her face was an unguarded mess of fear and pain, though he could tell that even now away from prying eyes she was attempting to keep it together. The dull ache he felt in his chest had nothing to do with whatever had brought him here and everything to do with the situation that had spiraled out of his control.

Quickly he closed his eyes and pretended to still be asleep, affording her a modicum of privacy to let go emotionally if she needed to. He knew she'd be strong for him.

"I know you're awake," she spoke with the same gentle reproof she used on the kids when they'd try to put one over on her.

He opened one eye, then the next and took her hand, "Of course you do." He smiled and gently teased her, "Genius. What gave me away?"

"Your respiratory and heart rates changed," she gave a half-hearted attempt at her own smile and pointed to the monitors.

"Like I said, genius," he stroked her knuckles with the pad of his thumb.

A foreboding silence stretched out between them as if neither was quite ready to face reality just yet. Both knew that could only last so long.

"How bad is it?" he finally worked up the courage to ask.

Her face became a mask as she distanced herself from her emotions and began spewing out a load of technical jargon that he quickly got lost in.

"Bones," he interrupted her. "Bones. How bad?"

"You need a valvuoplasty," she cut right to the chase, though she still hadn't met his eyes. "It's a fairly standard procedure."

He still wasn't all to clear on what it was a standard procedure for but as long as she knew that was good enough for him so he asked, "They gonna knock me out?"

"Not fully," she shook her head. "A local anesthetic is all that's necessary."

"Good," he nodded in relief. "Hey," he tilted her chin up to find her eyes, "I'm fine."

"Your heart stopped," came the rebuttal.

"It started back up again," he countered, "and now they can fix me up and make me good as new."

"This isn't a game, Booth!" the edgy panic told him he'd gone too far.

"I know," his voice became sincere and he brushed a thumb along her jawline. "I know. You're going to be with me, though, right? I mean, they'll let you in because you're a doctor."

"I-" her voice faltered. "I'm not that kind doctor, Seeley."

The corner of his lip twitched, knowing he'd succeeded in distracting her from her fear once she switched back to using his first name, "I want you in there with me; in the operating room."

"No," she shook her head as if she thought she needed to stand firm on this point, "I'll see you in Recovery."

"Oh, come on," he gave the best charm smile he could muster and kept his voice light and teasing, "what are you gonna do, sit in the waiting room and read all those old magazines for hours?"

"I'm not a cardiologist, Seeley," she protested, "or a surgeon."

"Yeah, but you're a genius," he used the argument again. "That's good enough for me. Plus, you'll know if they're screwing up."

"I'll ask," she promised and they both knew it was the most she could do.

It wasn't long after that when a parade of doctors, nurses, and anesthesiologists came through to prep him for the surgery. He signed where he was supposed to sign, nodded at all the right places during their medical mumbo-jumbo, and let them attach him to every heart monitoring device known to man. All the while, his eyes didn't stray far from his wife as she interacted with the doctors, asking the complex questions he didn't know to ask and translating for him when she noticed that he was lost. She followed the surgeon outside of the curtained room and he could see her feet squaring off against the doctor even though he couldn't hear what she was saying.

"I need to go update the others," Temperance told him when she finally reappeared on his side of the curtain, "but I'll be back."

"You're going with me?" he couldn't help the apprehension that leaked from the question.

"I am," she gave a soft smile, laid a kiss on his brow, and left the room, promising to be back before they wheeled him back to the OR.

Alone with his thoughts he wondered who was out in the waiting room. Was it just the squints? Had Bones called the kids? How were all of them coping with this?

It was a defect, the doctors told him, not a heart attack that had made him collapse and stopped his heart for a fraction of a second; something so minute that none of the rigorous physicals he'd been put through by the government had ever caught onto. Idly he wondered if this would've happened if he hadn't kept pushing his physical back, or if he'd have gotten checked out after getting the wind knocked out of him. The one doctor had listed the symptoms that could've clued Booth into the problem but he'd written it all off to the hard hit Joey had delivered; hiding as much of his pain as he could from his family so that they wouldn't badger him.

The self-recrimination was threatening to suck him into its vicious cycle when the curtain rustled, then moved ever so slightly.

"Bones?" he called hopefully.

No answer came but as his eyes flicked to the shoes visible to him he could tell they weren't his wife's. The feet shuffled and little red lights twinkled at him.

"Sadie," he spoke gently, a rush of emotion threatening to overwhelm him. "Sadie, come on in here, baby."

The small feet that had begged for the twinkling shoes last Christmas that now betrayed her hesitated, then he could see her fingers grasp the material as she slowly slid it to one side.

"Go ahead and close it," he told her once she stepped inside, not wanting a nurse to spot her and make her leave.

"Daddy?" her red-rimmed eyes threatened to fill with tears again and her jaw quivered with her voice.

He sat up as straight as he could and stretched out his arms, "Come here, baby girl."

She didn't need a second invitation and while she didn't slam into him like she usually did she crossed the room and buried herself in his chest as fast as she could. The two clung to one another and he whispered soothing words into her blond curls as he rubbed her back.

"I don't want you to die," the muffled confession was made against his chest and he felt his heart lurch.

"Hey," he soothed, pulling her up to curl up on his lap, "nobody's dying okay? Your dad's made of tougher stuff than that."

Sadie sniffed, but nodded and settled further on his lap.

That was where a rather harried-looking Temperance found them several minutes later when she burst into the room, nearly tearing the curtain from its rings.

"She's okay," he assured her, looking down at the little girl who'd fallen asleep shortly after she'd stopped crying. "She was scared."

The curtain moved again, this time revealing a nurse who cast a reproving look on spying the little girl before brusquely announcing that the OR was ready for him. Temperance asked the nurse to give them a moment, then she gently scooped Sadie into her arms and informed the stirring girl that she needed to return to the waiting room. Sadie first begged her mother to come with her, then begged to accompany them when she discovered Temperance was going into the OR as well.

As gently as they could the couple explained that Sadie couldn't come in, but that she needed to wait with Maddie, Joey, Parker, and the Squints until the procedure was over. Angela appeared just then, and Booth caught another scowl on the nurse's face at the gathering crowd, but the artist wasted no time taking Sadie from Temperance's arms and promising that she'd bring her back as soon as Booth was ready for company. Sadie squirmed down, gave her daddy one last hug and kiss, then dutifully took Angela's hand and left.

The grumpy nurse re-entered, none too thrilled that Dr. Brennan - who had been throwing her considerable weight around since her husband had been admitted - was tagging along but smart enough to know when to keep her mouth shut. Of course Brennan couldn't go in all the way, but rather had been granted permission to watch from the observation deck.

"Can we just stop for a second?" Booth asked the nurses as they wheeled him down the long corridor with Temperance walking beside him, clutching his hand. "Can you just give us a minute, please?"

"What's wrong?" his wife wanted to know, barely waiting for the nurses to move out of earshot.

" Listen, Bones, if I don't make it…" he trailed off, realizing this was harder to face than he thought it would be.

"No," she shook her head vehemently. "You are going to be just fine, Seeley Booth do you hear me? This is a routine procedure and you will be just fine."

"I know, Bones, but-" he stopped himself, meeting her eyes. and deciding it was cruel to go on. "I love you, Bones," he said instead, squeezing her hand and bringing her knuckles up to his lips to kiss. "Your letter's in my suit pocket, okay?"

"Letter?"

"Yeah," he poked at her, "you know, the letter you were bugging me about all morning?"

"I was not!" she swatted at him, drawing a huge grin that earned him another swat.

The nurses were back on either side of the bed, pushing it forward again, informing them that they couldn't keep the OR waiting any longer.

"Catch you on the flip side, Bones," Booth gave a wobbly smile.

He felt one more squeeze of her hand and she was gone. There were too many people crowding around him now for him to catch any glimpse of her. The sedative that they'd put in his IV bag was starting to take hold, though, and he was very relaxed, though not asleep. Floating in the drug haze he could only hear half of what was being said to him and only about half of that made any sense to him.

There was a sharp sting as the local anesthetic was injected and a few seconds later he felt something cool flow through his veins, leaving him with a nasty metallic aftertaste in his mouth and a headache worse than any college hangover. A groan escaped his lips when they asked him to hold his breath for a few seconds but he did it. Next, the doctor announced he was inserting the balloon and a few seconds later he was inflating it.

Booth felt a tightness in his chest and his back exploded in pain.

From her place in the observation lounge Temperance Brennan went from hopeful, somewhat curious, observer to panicked, concerned, wife in an instant. "Something's wrong," she told the orderly who'd accompanied her, pointing to where her husband had arched his back just the slightest bit.

If anyone had missed that they didn't miss the guttural yell of pain their patient released a moment before his body convulsed and went slack.


	18. Paperback Writer

**A/N: My little corner of the world was heavily affected by the flooding last week(that's after the earthquake, tornado, and hurricane Irene hit) thus the delays in all of my stories. Hubby hasn't gotten to go back to work yet as a result and we've been busy helping with the cleanup process. I can't promise regular updates from here on out but thanks to all of you who have stuck by this story. I'm hopeful you will find it worth your while.**

Paperback Writer (The Beatles)

_Beside her the monitor beeps in a slow, steady rhythm, the green line spiking and falling as it marks the passage of time. He's fine, they tell her, but nobody can tell her why he hasn't woken up yet. Why he won't come back to her. Perhaps, they suggest, he's reacted badly to the anesthesia, or perhaps his body is tired. Either way he is unresponsive; his face paler than the sheets he's laying on. As night falls Angela offers to watch the children so that she can continue her vigil; certain that the moment she leaves is the moment he will awaken._

_His letters are half comfort, half salt in the wound and after the fifth time through them she lays them aside and attempts to sleep. But sleep eludes her as it always has when he's in danger and so instead she opens her laptop and, softly muttering to herself she begins to write:_

**Chapter One: One Question**

He always claims that had it not been for the Metro, his life would never have changed; which she discounts because change is inevitable. Either way, if the Metro hadn't been thirteen minutes late, she most likely wouldn't have been fumbling with her keys through her thick woolen gloves only to have the key ring tumble to the icy sidewalk, along with her armload of once perfectly balanced packages at the exact moment he was coming down the same sidewalk.

"Here," his voice cut through the chaos of her thoughts as he bent down to help. "Which one do you need?" He held the key ring aloft.

She gave a detailed verbal description of it since her arms were once again occupied and his ungloved fingers made quick work of the task, opening the door with one hand and ushering her in with his free hand on her lower back. Hurried because she was still running late, she mumbled her thanks and moved back to the storage room as quickly as she could. Ange was there and fretting over her tardiness, though she did pause long enough to inquire about the tall, dark, handsome stranger that had been abandoned in the lounge. Shrugging her ignorance along with her heavy gloves and jacket, she unloaded all of the packages that had caused the problem in the first place, then went into the dressing room and focused on the next task ahead of her.

It wasn't until The Lab opened for business and she was onstage, swathed in crimson velvet from head to foot and singing a wistful tune about remembering things that never happened that she wondered if he was out in the audience. At just past eleven, the nightclub crowd wasn't yet at its full capacity, making it easy for her to subtly peer through the smoky haze as she sang. Of course, she'd seen more of his hands than his face so it was difficult to be certain whether or not the stranger nestled in the shadow of the back corner table was the same man until he caught sight of her and flashed a smile as well as her keys.

Mystery solved, she put him out of her mind for the time being and finished her set. There was a loud round of applause as she took a bow and exited the stage. Ange gushed as she helped her change back into more casual attire.

"Did you retrieve my keys?" she asked Angela. "He's sitting right at the back table, you know."

"Yeah, I caught that and no I didn't get them," she shook her head and grinned slyly. "He's not waiting for me, Bren."

Huffing slightly at Angela's meddlesome nature when it came to men, Bren headed back out to The Lab's lounge, crossing the room swiftly until she was at the stranger's corner table.

"You have a beautiful voice," white teeth flashed against his tanned face.

"Thank you. My mother always said I sang better than Cyndi Lauper," she paused, unsure why she'd felt the need to share that, then composed herself and added. "Thanks for your assistance earlier as well."

"No problem," he smiled again, holding out her keys.

She took them and thanked him a third time, then shifted her weight from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do or say next. He wasn't an exceptionally tall man, though he wasn't short either, and from what she could recall from when they were outside, he was several inches taller than she'd been in her flats. His shoulders were broad, and his firm chest and abdominal muscles were visible through the gray t-shirt he wore, though the magnetism in his deep brown eyes was even more alluring in her opinion.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" he broke the silence all of a sudden.

"I believe you just did," it was her turn to smile, "but you may ask one more."

"What's your name?" he wasted no time in asking.

"Bren," was as much as she was willing to divulge to him; knowing he wouldn't found out at least that much on his own. Years of working in an environment where strange men were only as stable as the burdens they came in with and the alcohol they consumed made her wary of revealing anything too personal.

"I like it," he said as if she'd been awaiting his approval.

She was just about to politely excuse herself when he spoke again, "Your turn."

"Excuse me?" she wasn't sure what he meant by the comment.

"To ask me a question," he replied. "It's only fair since I asked you. Sharing should go both ways."

That was logical so she asked the first question that came to mind, "What should I call you?"

While she hadn't expected him to give her his full name, she also hadn't expected the long pause that followed.

"Would 'Mr. B' suffice?" she rushed to ameliorate the tension.

"'Mr. B?'" his eyebrow shot up.

"Your belt-buckle," she explained. "I noticed it was a letter B."

The shadow that had crossed his face with her initial question was dispelled by a smile and he nodded, his demeanor shifting yet again, "Mr. B sounds just about right."

The silence lapsed between them again, though not as awkwardly as before, and once again, she was to one to break it, "I should get back to work."

"Of course," he stood to his full height, proffering a hand. "I'm sorry for keeping you."

"It's alright," she assured him, clasping his hand and noting its warmth.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked hopefully.

"Is that another question?" she teased.

"Hmm," he said thoughtfully. "Well, you did say I could only have one, so, no." He shook his head and said confidently, "I'll see ya tomorrow, Bren."

Though she would never admit it to anyone else, she very much liked the sound of her name from his lips, as well as the strength of his hand around hers as they shook one last time, but her tone revealed nothing as she replied, "I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. B."

His lips quirked at the moniker she'd assigned him and he gave one last, small wave over his shoulder as he left.

Two patrons who were obviously past their limit began quarreling loudly and she moved toward them, taking her cell out to call the cab company; resigning all thoughts of the stranger to another time.


	19. Morning Lullabies

Morning Lullabies (Ingrid Michaelson)

_ The second night passes and still nothing changes. His eyes are still closed and her eyes are ever fixed on him. Their children come and go and the one time Angela convinces her to go home she finds another bouquet of flowers and a new letter and within a half an hour she is back at his side. Her fingers fly and their story marches on..._

**Chapter Two: The Arrangement**

The following night found her sitting at the back corner table, accounting books spread across the table in front of her.

"Hey, Bren," the voice she'd unconsciously been waiting for all evening sounded above the jazz band playing in the background.

"Good evening, Mr. B," she greeted him with a smile, inviting him to sit and join her.

"I was up front for a while waiting for you to sing before I noticed you back here," he explained, sitting down beside her, back to the stage.

"I only sing Thursday nights," she informed him, not bothering to tell him that was only because they couldn't find anyone else to book.

"I'll keep that in mind," he winked.

She felt her cheeks warm and chastened herself for letting a man she knew so little about affect her so much.

"Do you live in DC?" the question popped out before she could censor it. "Unless that's too personal a question," she added.

"Nah," he waved her concern off, no sign of the reservation he'd exhibited the night before as he settled back in his seat, fiddling with his drink as his spoke. "I got back into town a few months ago; just before Christmas, though for now I'm still slumming at my brother's place. Actually, it was his partner who suggested I check out The Lab."

"Oh," word of mouth was always a good thing in her mind. "Were he and your brother here on a date before?"

He choked on his scotch, "No, no! Jared's not gay! Cam's a woman and she's his _work_ partner, nothing else."

"Ah," understanding dawned.

"Yup," he went back to sipping his drink. "So when did you start here?"

"Two years ago," she answered.

"Back when the new management came in?" he presumed, but didn't stop for her answer. "Yeah, Cam said this place was on its way out but has really picked up since then. Of course, before I was deployed I remember this was one of the hottest spots out there; always attracting the bands that went on to make it big. I guess whoever's in charge makes all the difference, huh?"

Unsure how to respond, she simply nodded and allowed him to continue expounding on the topic, inserting a comment of her own here and there when appropriate. She was well aware of the club's prestigious past and liked to think she'd done her fair share in seeing it restored to its former glory. Angela and her knack for interior decorating had helped too and while booking was still down, they'd enjoyed a modicum of success and were well on their way to establishing a regular customer base.

Before either one of them realized it, an hour had passed, during which they covered a variety of topics, though neither asked another personal question. He was very affable and easy to talk with, and Bren liked it as he listened and laughed while she told him about some of the stranger customers she'd had to deal with over the last two years.

"I should go back to these," she said regretfully, pointing to the books that were still wide open.

"Oh, man," he glanced at his watch, "I'm so sorry. I forgot you're on the clock."

"It's not a problem," she insisted. "No one will care as long as it's done by the end of the night."

"Okay," he moved to rise. "This was fun."

"Will you be back tomorrow?" she asked. "Or is there somewhere else you'd like to meet?"

He suddenly snapped his head up and returned to his seat, his intense brown eyes focused solely on her, "You mean like a date?"

"Well," she said after a moment's deliberation, "a date is when two people plan to meet and get to know each other better, correct?" He nodded and she continued, "And that's what we're doing."

"One question at a time," he put in, then smiled at her widely. "You know, I kinda like that approach. Makes you really focus on something rather than both of you just jabbering on like it's some sort of race to see who can fill in the standard blanks the fastest."

"Blanks?"

"Yeah, like favorite foods, colors, job descriptions," he listed a few things.

"Names," she grinned wryly.

He chuckled, "Well, yeah, that too. The anonymity kinda spices up the whole thing though, doesn't it? We could be anybody out there, but in here, we're Bren and Mr. B and that's all that matters."

"I don't need a boyfriend," she told him, thinking of the varying degrees of failure she'd endured in that arena before.

"Me neither," he quipped, then smiled. "Though I am newer in town so I _could_ use a friend."

Perhaps it was the way his teeth, lips, and eyes joined forces to ooze charisma and hint of the fun times that were to be had; or maybe it was the sincerity in his voice, which relayed his earnest, hopeful desires, and beckoned her to join him. Either way, she found herself unable, and truly unwilling to deny his request for a friend and besides, it had been she who asked if he would come again.

Just as they'd done the night before, they both stood, shook hands, and bid each other goodnight. This night, however, there were no drunks to send home and she had plenty of time to contemplate things once her bookwork was finished.

Over the course of her life, Bren's track record with men had been less than stellar. She'd been fifteen when her mother died of a brain aneurysm, and had been abandoned to tutors and nannies while her father dealt with his own grief and forged ahead with his political career in the meantime; even changing his name to distance himself from the pain. Russ, her older brother by four years, might've helped her cope, but instead had left home as soon as he could and almost right away fell in with a crowd on the wrong side of the law. Their father had bailed Russ out more than a few times, and had thus far kept him out of any serious prison sentences, but her relationship with him didn't extend any further than the annual call Russ gave on her birthday.

Throughout college and beyond she'd dated a few men here and there, but nothing of lasting significance had happened, and in the end, they'd all left her. Intelligent, independent women who didn't sugarcoat the truth in white lies, or simper at the smallest gesture of affection weren't highly sought after and she'd long ago decided that if a man couldn't accept her for who she was, he wasn't worth her time.

"Thinking deep thoughts, Bren?" Angela interrupted her musings.

She looked up and shook her head, then looked around to find the last patron had left and only she and Angela remained.

"So what did tall, dark, and handsome want tonight?" Ange pressed as they began the process of shutting everything down and locking up for the night.

Bren thought about the anonymity they'd agreed upon, and their one question arrangement, and how odd that might sound to her best friend and shrugged, "To talk."

"Uh huh," Ange fixed Bren with a long stare. "You know you're horrible liar, right?"

"It's," again she found herself at a loss for words. "It's complicated, and yet it's simple at the same time. I'm sorry I can't define it for you beyond that."

"Is he coming back?" Bren nodded, bringing a smile to her friend's face. "Good. That's all that matters then."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bren asked as they stepped out into the cold.

"It means for as long as I've known you, you've either picked guys that were total losers or acted like men are the carriers of the Bubonic Plague, but this time," she stopped, and smiled widely. "This time is different."

"He could still turn out to be a loser," replied Bren unconvincingly.

"Nah," Angela waved her off. "Think about it, the guy picked up your keys, let you in, sat around for a couple of hours waiting for you, and the last two nights has managed to make you leave at the end of the night happy instead of stressed."

"Are you saying I'm normally not a happy person?" asked Bren as they boarded the Metro.

"Sometimes you're happy," her friend hedged. "But mostly with guys you're all stiff and formal. Heck, Sweetie, I'm your best friend and you rarely cut loose around me, let alone smile and laugh as much as you two were in that corner."

"We share a similar sense of humor," she smiled at the remembrance.

"That," Angela pointed a finger at Bren. "That face right there that you made tells me you know this guy isn't just your run of the mill fling, or someone you're placating until you can find a good excuse to get rid of him. Now, when's he coming back?"

"Tomorrow," she answered slowly, wondering what her friend had in mind.

"To the club?" Ange asked and Bren nodded. "Good. Safer that way, plus I can keep an eye on you two. Do you have an outfit in mind?"

"No more than I usually do at this time of night, no," she shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with my wardrobe, Ange."

"Trust me," Angela replied, "a cute top never hurt anyone."


	20. Enchanted

Enchanted (Taylor Swift)

**A/N: A word of reminder that when I started "Wonderful World" we had no clue what Booth's extended family tree looked like, so while I used Jared, I also had given him a sister and both of his parents are alive and well...**

_Stiffness and a sore back are indicators that yet another night has passed - it's Sunday, she believes - but nothing has changed. Around nine o'clock there is a commotion in the hallway and she can hear agitation in the head nurse's voice._

_"It's okay, Addy," she smiles at the harried woman as she enters the hallway. "They're family."_

_"Only two at a time can be in there," the nurse reminds her gruffly, though her eyes are soft with compassion._

_The waiting room is a cacophony of sound from children giggling to adults murmuring and exchanging worried glances as they catch sight of her in the doorway. She ignores them for the moment, turning instead to welcome her children with open arms. Parker's grasp is the longest and the tightest and she assures him over and over that nothing has changed for the worst over night. That there is no medical reason for the coma to continue._

_Parker is also the first to go back in, along with Maddie, and Temperance is surprised to learn from Angela that the boy refuses to go to his mother's house; that he has insisted on stayed with his brother and sisters and has taken on Booth's mantle as head of the house. She wonders if she should be home with them as well. Angela tells her that they're fine._

_As the morning progresses, more people trickle into the waiting room and none leave. Booth's mother arrives along with his brother, his sister, and his grandfather. Cousins, aunts, and uncles aren't far behind; apparently Booth wasn't lying about Catholics having large families, though most of these she's never met outside of the occasional Booth family Thanksgiving that they've attended._

_The people, the noise, and the constant "consolation" that is offered her quickly becomes too much for her to cope with and after apologizing to Angela she slips out to walk the quiet corridors alone. Placing one foot in front of the other she walks, mustering a smile for the occasional nurse who recognizes her but otherwise avoiding people until she finally finds a quiet room where she can sit and enjoy the solitude._

_One lip curls up, appreciating the irony that the room she's chosen to seek solace in is a chapel, yet she feels no compunction to leave, either. It seems somehow fitting that she end up here and as she settles into the silence she feels as if Booth would approve. Perhaps if she closes her eyes she could imagine him awake and chuckling at her instead of being locked away in his coma._

_The tranquility is shattered only moments later, however, by the creaking wooden door opening and she braces herself. Instead of a nosy minister or another stranger seeking help in a helpless situation, she hears nothing and is surprised when a small hands slips into hers._

_Blonde ringlets greet her eyes as they open and she gratefully enfolds Sadie in her arms, noting mentally that the eight year old isn't nearly as little as she used to be. For a long moment, mother and daughter do nothing but exchange silent hugs and Temperance smiles when the girl pats her hair soothingly just as Temperance has done for her in the past. Slyly she texts Angela that the little girl is with her._

_Two hours later, the faint scent of incense still lingers about them as they return to the waiting room. After a quick check with the nurse to confirm there have been no changes since she left Booth's side she agrees to go out to lunch with her family and friends and spend the afternoon at home, showering and spending time with Maddie, Sadie, Joey, and Parker._

_When she returns later in the evening he is still asleep; his eyes still closed; monitors unchanged. Beside the cot where she has been sleeping there is a vase filled with eight purple roses and an accompanying letter telling her how enchanted he still is by her daily; that she will continue enchanting him until the day he dies. _

_She is immediately at his side, scolding him that he is not allowed to die now. That she isn't ready to live in a world without him no matter how irrational that sounds. To prove her point she opens her computer once again, whisking them both away into the fantasy..._

Chapter 3: The Proposal

From the time she arrived at the Lab at five to accomplish some of the work she'd been neglecting the past two nights, until they opened for business, Bren found her thoughts drifting to the man who would be coming in later. While there was no denying her attraction to the man on a primal level, she wasn't altogether comfortable with how quickly she'd found herself enjoying his company and resolved tonight to remain more aloof than she had as of yet.

That was her plan. Her reality was that as she worked behind the bar her eyes moved to the door every time it opened and when she finally caught sight of his broad shoulders encased in a worn leather bomber jacket, her pulse quickened noticeably and she was unable to pry her eyes off of him. She also couldn't stop her hands from smoothing down her skirt, all the while hoping the "cute top" Angela had selected would be appealing to him.

"Is there anything you don't do around here?" he asked with a grin, sidling up to the bar.

She thought about all of the different roles she'd been called upon to play during her tenure at the Lab and replied with a rueful smile, "I don't believe I've ever worked as the chef. Yet."

He smiled as he took his seat, peeling off the jacket and hanging it on the back of the bar stool as she handed him a tumbler of single malt scotch, "Hey, you remembered my favorite drink."

"It's not difficult," she returned the smile. "You've ordered the same thing every night thus far."

"I'm a simple man with simple needs," he quipped.

She rolled her eyes, not altogether sure she believed him.

"You should try some of the red wine," he pointed to several bottles on the rack behind her.

"That's not what I've had to drink every night," she protested.

"You drink water," he teased, "in a bar."

"On the rocks," she crossed her arms defensively. "Besides, I've seen what too much alcohol can do to people."

"One drink won't make you an alcoholic," he prodded.

"I'm working," she reminded him.

"One glass won't even give you a buzz," he promised, "but it should help take the edge off."

"The edge off of what?" she snapped, then sighed and looked down for a moment, cheeks reddening, before lifting her gaze to his eyes. "Sorry."

"No sweat," he smiled softly at her, then pointed at the wine rack. "Mind if I come back there and pick something good out for you?"

She didn't and it wasn't long before she was standing behind him as he knelt to inspect the wine rack. As he went, he provided commentary, educating her on the differences between the types of wine and how the grapes used affected the flavor. He also offered suggestions as to which wines she should keep in stock for a nightclub environment, and which ones she shouldn't bother with.

Finally, she called Angela to take over for her for a little while and they both went around to the other side of the bar, took their respective drinks, and headed for the back table. It took a few minutes to weave through the crowd, and she almost spilled her wine on a clumsy man who bumped into her, so when they reached the table and sat down they let out twin sighs.

"To the weekend and to us," he toasted his tumbler against her glass gently.

"Whoever we are," Bren smiled wryly.

"That's the spirit," he encouraged. "Now, bottoms up!"

Bracing herself for the worst, she slowly upended the glass and took a cautious first taste. The flavor was sharper than she'd expected, but richer too.

"Was I right?" he prodded. "'Cause your face went from pinchy to relaxed in about two seconds flat, so I think that makes me right, don't you?"

She started to protest, but couldn't, and instead raised an eyebrow and took another sip. He was still staring at her, waiting for a response, when she set her glass down and she sighed in resignation. "Yes," her voice could barely be heard above the noise around them, "you were right."

"Why do I get the sense those aren't words you use in that order very much?" he teased.

She mumbled something unintelligible, but in the end gave him a small smile and went back to her drink. To be honest, she couldn't tell if is was the wine or the present company that was putting her in such a good mood, but she didn't mind either way. They chatted lightly about the wide variety of drinks the Lab kept in stock, and again he suggested some that might not be as good as others to keep. He offered to let her try some of his scotch, but one sniff told her she'd be better off sticking to her wine.

"So what burning question do you have for me tonight?" he asked when they ran out of small talk.

She could never be certain afterward whether it was the wine or the original stress that made her blurt out, "Do you have a job?" Hastily, she followed that up with a clarification, "That is, I've noticed that you're wearing the same shirt you had on Thursday night, and your sneakers are quite worn, as is your jacket. That, coupled with the fact that you are able to stay out late at night and share an apartment with your brother, leads me to wonder if you are gainfully employed."

"I do fine," he managed, chasing away his dry throat with the rest of his scotch.

"That's a non-answer," she frowned.

She heard him swear under his breath as he shook his head, "Not much gets by you does it? Did you inventory my socks and underwear too while you were at it?"

"Only what I was able to see," she was unsure whether or not he was being facetious. "I'll retract the question if you don't want to answer it. Perhaps I should get back to work."

She got all the way to the bar and was chastising herself inwardly for being so forward yet again, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. He was behind her, smiling apologetically, and when she shrugged away from him and returned behind the counter, he merely sat down at one of the empty bar stools, as if declaring he was not going anywhere.

"Wait," he covered her smooth hands with his callused ones as she picked up his empty glass from in front of him and turned to leave. "Please stay for a sec. You just caught me off-guard that's all. Was there a point to your question or were you just curious?"

"A little of both," she shook her head, trying to figure out how to clarify what she meant for him. "To be perfectly candid, the stress you noted earlier was because our bartender recently resigned and I was unable to find a suitable replacement for him before he left for culinary school."

"That's why you're behind the bar tonight," he nodded in understanding. "So you weren't asking whether I have a job-"

"But rather if you wanted a job- here at the Lab- yes," she finished the thought. "It's just temporary until we can find someone to fill the position full time, but you seem to be a viable candidate."

"I'll take it," he said without any further hesitation.

"Are you certain?" she wanted to make sure.

He shrugged, "Like you said, I need the job and it'd be nice to get my own place, so yeah. Plus it's only a temporary gig, which is perfect for me. Gives me the chance to get my feet underneath me again, you know?"

"Yes," she smiled broadly. "It seems as if the arrangement will be mutually beneficial. There is a class you'll need to take before you start but with your knowledge of alcoholic beverages it shouldn't be difficult for you."

It was his turn to grin, "Where do you think I learned all that stuff in the first place? I think my bartender's license is still valid and if not it's no biggie to renew it."

She sighed in relief, "Can you start tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he smiled.


	21. Dust in the Wind

Dust in the Wind

_The morning of the third day dawns bright and cold as Fall's chilling fingers snake around the DC Area. It's Monday and the waiting area has been emptied by the constraints of jobs and school for her friends and family. She is quietly relieved. _

_It isn't that she's ungrateful for their support, but their constant presence was smothering to some extent and now she is allowed the freedom to take a step back and consider her situation objectively. To rest in the safe arms of reason and logic, which rarely fail her._

_The only thing which is slightly unnerving to her is the continued delivery of his letters and flowers since his hospitalization. They mock her reason and logic, reminding her that she is in a situation with variables far beyond her ability to control. Today they are not roses, but daisies, and she has a sinking feeling that she knows what they will be tomorrow; on their tenth anniversary._

_Perhaps, she tells herself as she turns today's envelope over and over in her hands, she should stop reading them until he wakes up. Even as the thoughts come, however, her fingers are tugging at the seal, unable to deny her the tenuous connection. _

_And so she will read. And she will write. And she will keep the faith that somehow he will find his way back to her. _

Chapter 4: New Kid on the Block

On his first official night as a bartender he showed up early, was neatly dressed in the white uniform she'd provided him with, and was cleanly shaven, with a red and black checked golfer's tam on his head.

"What is that?" Bren asked pointedly.

"It's my new lid," he grinned broadly, tipping it at her.

"Your new 'lid' looks like something my grandfather would wear," she teased.

He frowned, "Hey, if I've gotta wear these dull duds every night, I need to have something fun on."

She rolled her eyes and inspected his outfit. She couldn't deny that he filled out the white dress shirt and crisp black pants very nicely and concluded aloud, "I like it."

"Yeah?" his eyes lit up like a young child's and his smile was bright.

"It shows you're a free-thinker," she returned the smile, "which is preferable to some of the mindless drones I've been forced to hire before."

"Well the last guy couldn't have been too bad," he commented, stepping behind the bar and inspecting the shelves full of liquor. "This place is well-stocked."

"He had superb instincts," she nodded. "When it comes to hard liquors I'm something of a novice, but we never once had a complaint during his tenure."

Mr. B nodded, "Thanks again for putting in a good word for me. I know it's nothing permanent, but it helps."

She waved him off, then began going over his basic responsibilities and the terms of his employment. It was agreed that since the job was merely temporary, he'd be paid weekly, in cash, and without benefits; which he assured her he didn't need. To her surprise, he also offered to help her in the search for his replacement and while she didn't agree right away, she didn't dismiss the offer either.

"Come on," she motioned for him to follow her out from behind the bar.

"Where are we going?" he wanted to know, keeping in step with her the entire time.

"To meet the rest of the team, of course," she led the way through a set of double doors and into the bowels of the nightclub.

...

"He seems like a decent guy," Angela said in Mr. B's defense as a small knot of employees paused to watch the new hire at work.

"_Seems,"_ resident author Jack Hodgins intoned, nursing his drink. "But do we _really_ know who he is?"

"Perhaps he's a nefarious criminal who is hiding from the law," the club's spindly, English DJ spoke up.

Zach, Bren's personal assistant shook his head, "His posture would suggest a military or law enforcement background."

"I heard him say Cam is his brother's partner," Angela put in, pointing to the woman entering the front door, who was somewhat of a regular.

They watched the detective approach the bar and all four caught the surprised look and the recognition that crossed her face when she caught sight of Mr. B and they all strained forward to pick up the conversation. The two spoke in low enough tones to be drowned out by the bar, however, and they had to quickly look the other way before they were caught spying.

"Guess that part was true," Hodgins grunted.

"Hmmm," Angela watched the ease of interaction playing out in front of her. "She's more than just his brother's partner; or was," she amended.

"You believed they've had intercourse?" Zack asked, earning himself a glare from every eye in the group.

"Maybe he was a spook," suggested Hodgins.

"A what?" Nigel-Murray goggled at him, clearly unfamiliar with the term.

"A spook," Hodgins' eyes gleamed brightly. "You know, CIA. That would explain the military background Zack spotted. And why he won't tell Bren his real name. He might even be here to spy on us."

"There's nothing to spy on here," a droll voice sounded from behind them, causing Hodgins to jump in his seat slightly.

"Fisher, don't do that!" he whirled around, scolding the chef.

"Don't speak the truth?" Fisher arched one Spok-like brow.

Hodgins glared and Fisher glared back until Angela stepped in and served them both with a glare of her own, "Look, it doesn't matter who he is as long as he does his job and doesn't hurt Bren, agreed?"

Four heads bobbed around her and she gave a satisfied nod of her own before suggesting it was time for she, Zack, Fisher, and Vincent to get back to work. Still, working didn't stop her from keeping a close eye on her best friend's mystery man. And it didn't keep her from doing some subtle digging of her own.


	22. Don't Dream It's Over

**A/N: So it's not that I gave up on this one. I just needed to find a way to do justice to both stories that are going on here. I think I finally figured that out thanks to pal GcatsPJs. Hope you think so too! **

**-Gum :)**

Don't Dream It's Over_  
_

_Ten years is the first thought that crosses her mind Tuesday morning. Ten years of friendship. Ten years together as partners. And now it all hangs in the balance. This is the fourth day he's been gone from her and the doctors tell her he's recovering from surgery well and there is no physical reason the coma is persisting._

_She lays in her bed, feeling somewhat grateful to Angela for convincing her to come home last night as this is the most refreshed she's felt since Booth's collapse. But the empty space beside her feels cavernous and she is already calculating how soon she can return to the hospital. It is the sound of children stirring in the hall as they ready for school that reminds her she will need to wait just a little while longer._

_Before long breakfast dishes clatter in the sink and feet stomp about, looking for lost homework, shoes, jackets, and the like. Temperance muses how much she has missed these sounds when a loud sniff catches her ear. Turning she finds Maddie, hands behind her back and a lone tear trickling down her cheek._

_"I'm sorry," the girl sniffs again. _

_"Sorry for what?" the dishes are abandoned._

_Slowly, a bouquet of roses is revealed from behind Maddie's back and she holds them out, hand wavering as another tear slips out. Like pieces of a puzzle fitting together Temperance realizes who's been delivering the roses to her all along and she takes the offering with a quiet thank you, then sets them on the counter and moves to enfold the crying girl in her arms._

_"It's okay," Temperance sooths, stroking her hair as if she were still a young child._

_"I-I don't have a letter," Maddie's jaw quivers. "He paid for the flowers and everything and gave me all the letters but not the last one. He said that was special and he was still working on it."_

_Tears shine in Temperance's own eyes as she assures Maddie that she understands. That she is proud of the job Maddie has done thus far. That Booth would be proud of her too. In a small voice Maddie wishes her a happy anniversary and Temperance holds her even closer. _

_Neither one is aware of how much or little time has passed but they are soon joined by Sadie, then Joey, and finally Parker wraps his long arms around all of them. A horn blares outside of the window, startling all of them. Angela is there to take the children to school and a series of hurried goodbyes are issued in the rush to leave. Unable to stand the echoing loneliness of the empty house, Temperance once again makes her way to the hospital and to his bedside. There's still so much of their story to tell._

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

To the consternation of The Lab's employee's, Mr. B continued to be as elusive as ever about his true identity, though that didn't stop them from developing more outlandish theories. Jack swore that he'd seen the man on an old edition of America's Most Wanted, while Angela thought he'd been Mr. October in last year's firefighters' calendar. At the start of his second week they each picked a day to try and corner him in one fashion or another and gather answers, but none of them got anywhere.

And it wasn't like he was unfriendly. In fact, aside from not knowing who he was or where he'd come from, there was nothing to complain about regarding their newest employee. He came to work on time, pitched in wherever he was needed, and quickly gained a rapport among the local patrons. He was more than comfortable behind a bar, with a listening ear for those drowning their sorrows in their cups and a winning smile that attracted a higher female customer base than the bar had seen since reopening.

He was true to his word too and a month after starting he introduced Bren to a kid named Sweets, who was fresh out of bartending school but supposed to be a real prodigy when it came to mixed drinks. Brennan wasn't sure what to think but a winning smile from Mr. B along with a promise to take the kid under his wing until he was ready to fly solo persuaded her. She lost count of how many times Sweets thanked her that first night and how many times he promised to put her in the book he was writing on the side.

"How's it going?" Mr. B asked her one Thursday night as she descended from the stage to a hearty round of applause.

"Is that your question?" she winked, settling down in their back corner booth and peeling off her kid gloves.

"Does it have to be?" he grinned back.

They both chuckled and she sipped at her wine while he took a swig from his beer bottle. He'd given her a hard time about the "imported crap" she'd offered him one night and since then he'd kept his own stash in the employees' mini-fridge. A fridge he still had access to because the club's popularity was picking up and she'd needed more bouncers.

She shook her head, "Besides, I already know what my question is."

"Oh really?" he gave a bemused smile.

"Yes," she smirked before launching right into it. "What's your Crue connection?" His eyes narrowed so she expounded, "You told me the other night all you'd have to do is make a call and they could play here. How?"

For a moment she wasn't sure he was going to answer, but he did and she smiled along with him as he recounted the tale. When he finished, light conversation filled the space between them; mostly talk about the nightclub and how things could be improved. Bren had discovered over the past month that her mystery companion possessed keen business acumen though his careless demeanor suggested otherwise. Currently her biggest headache was keeping up with the city's zoning policies. Especially the ones concerning live performances as they were relying less and less on their scrawny, English DJ.

She hadn't told him that Max Keenan was her father, but she had mentioned that Max was offering to take the problem off her hands altogether. Mr. B made no bones about the fact that he wasn't a fan of that plan, arguing that staying aboveboard was going to be the club's biggest challenge and dealing with a shifty character like Max wouldn't do them any argument was that they could be shut down before the application for their permit went through, where Max could get the the permit legally but expedite it.

He was shaking his head when something in her peripheral caught her attention and she excused herself, rising quickly and allowing her long legs to carry her across the room as quickly as possible.

"Explain yourself," she demanded of the bouncer weaving his way over to the bar, empty beer stein in hand.

His eyes grew wide and he stopped short, "It's just one-"

"Wrong answer," her clipped voice cut him off. While he fumbled to put the glass on the counter there was a flash of metal and she reached forward and snatched something from his waistband. "What is this?"

She didn't wait for his answer, allowing the revolver dangling from her finger to do all the talking. With a disapproving glare she made a cursory judgment, "Mr. Sullivan, you're fired."

"What?" the alcohol haze burned off almost instantly and he swiped at a lock of hair that fell in his eyes. "For having one drink? In a bar?" Her gaze remained steady and the accused party's eyes darted around the room until he pointed, "What about him?"

The eyes of the small crowd that was gathering flicked to Mr. B, beer bottle in hand who was just walking up to the bar.

"Mr. B," Bren regarded him with a tempered version of the ire she'd launched on Sullivan, "you are currently drinking?"

His adam's apple bobbed and his head nodded.

"Are you drunk?" the question was addressed to Mr. B but she was looking pointedly at the other man, who was clearly not holding his liquor well and at Mr. B's quiet "No," she asked her next question, "And do you have a gun in your pants?"

A snicker went up among those who were a few drinks in, though somehow the man in question managed to keep a straight face as he shook his head no.

Bren gave a satisfied nod and turned her attention fully to Sullivan, "You may collect your things and leave. I would suggest you utilize the public transportation system from there."

As she carefully watched the man walk into the back to get his things someone caught her elbow and began steering her away from the crowd and pulling her back to the coat check area.

"We need the room," he brusquely told the girl behind the check-in desk.

Daisy's head bobbed up and down and she skittered out of the way.

"What was that?" Mr. B's voice was controlled but barely over a whisper once they were alone, his body serving as an effective blockade.

"A situation arose," one shoulder rose and fell carelessly as she leaned against the back wall, "and I dealt with it."

"We both know I carry a gun," he pressed, eyes boring into her.

"Not in the waistband of your pants," she was quick to point out.

"And I was drinking on the job," he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You should've fired me too."

It had been the third question she'd asked him in their little game and again she shrugged, "You have a concealed weapons permit and you always time your evening breaks to coincide with mine. Not to mention you weren't inebriated like Mr. Sullivan."

"Sully's a good guy," he waved her off.

"Good guys," her chin jutted forward so that it was centimeters from his, "don't get drunk and carry loaded weapons into their workplace. And as far as you are concerned I have no desire to fire you so you have nothing to fear."

"This isn't about me, it's about you," he sighed heavily, pulling back one hand to run it through his hair. "I don't get it."

She waited for him to elaborate and soon enough he stopped boxing her in and began pacing the small room like a caged tiger.

"You do the books, you run the bar," he muttered almost to himself, "you sweat about permits, you sing, you hire, you fire, and pretty much do whatever you damn well please but I've never once heard a job title attached to your name; how does that work? Who are you?"

Several replies ran through her head ranging from blurting out that she owned the place to pointing out that she knew no more about him than she did about her. She wanted to remind him that his ignorance was his fault because he was the one who was so insistent that they not reveal personal details. She wanted to refute his implication of nepotism.

Alarms screeched, slicing the tension between them abruptly just as someone outside the door yelled "FIRE!"

Mr. B had spun around and was sprinting out of the cloakroom almost immediately, Bren hot on his heels. Angela stopped her long enough to inform her it was Bren's office that was on fire and that Sullivan had been seen fleeing the scene just moments before.

By the time Bren was free of her friend, Mr. B was nowhere to be seen and Bren plunged recklessly into the fray. Contained or not, the smoke of the fire was spreading through the club quickly, thickest near her office. It stung her eyes and enveloped her, making it impossible for her to see much of anything. Her throat scratched, and her lungs burned, but still she called out for him over and over again to no avail. The alarms grew louder the closer she came to the source of the fire but she forged on.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" She screamed.

But there was no reply.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

_Caught in a haze the man hears her frantic screams and turns to fight his way back to her. Trapped in her own dream, the woman continues screaming. Only when a nurse shakes her and the smoke from her dream clears, does she realize the alarms are real. _


	23. Don't You Forget About Me

Don't You Forget About Me

The wailing alarms along with the hand on her shoulder yanked Temperance from her dream abruptly.

"You were screaming," the portly nurse told her.

"I-I'm fine," Temperance assured her shakily. The alarms were still going off.

Footsteps pounded toward them, all heading in the same direction and the words "he's crashing" hit her ears, making her eyes fly immediately to Booth's bed. It was then she realized his monitors were not the ones wailing and he was still sleeping peacefully. Suddenly the sounds in the hall felt muted and she released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

The nurse took one last look at Temperance and chucked a thumb at the outside chaos, "If you're sure you're okay I should go."

Temperance nodded and once again she and Booth were alone.

She moved the chair she'd been sitting in as close to Booth as she could before turning back to her laptop screen. The cursor was blinking in front of a long stream of random letters that had obviously been pressed when she fell asleep writing. There were several pages' worth.

With a shake of her head, she highlighted the gibberish, fingers hovering for only a second before she hit the 'delete' key.

"Such a weird dream," the groggy words passed through Booth's parched lips and were so low she barely heard them.

But she did. "Booth?" Her head shot up, laptop snapping shut as he entire focus turned to him, "Booth, you're awake!"

Although she was stating the obvious it was clear from his blank stare that he wasn't entirely cognizant of his surroundings.

"So real," he muttered.

"Your operation was a success," she informed him with the facts because the facts were all she had and should she stray into speculation it might tip her precarious emotional equilibrium, "but you reacted poorly to the anesthesia. You've been in a coma for four days." Here she lost a piece of her objectivity as she nearly begged, "What took you so long to wake up?"

His glazed eyes found her, but something was still off as he insisted yet again, "It felt so real."

"It wasn't real," she assured him, laying a gentle hand on his arm.

He stiffened, recoiling from her touch and meeting her eyes for the first time, "Who are you?"

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

_Chapter 6: Great Balls of Fire_

_The smoke was obscuring her vision the closer she came to the source but she could see no sign of Mr. B. Her lungs hacked in protest, sharply punctuating her attempts to call out for him and her feet tripped over each other. A pair of hands reached out, halting her forward motion._

_"Looking for someone?" a male voice sneered at her._

_Too late she recognized the voice and tried to squirm free only to find herself in a vise-like grip. She aimed her foot in the general vicinity of his midsection._

_"Tut tut," the disgruntled employee chided. "That's not nice now, is it my dear?"_

_"I'm not your anything," Bren thrust her chin out in defiance._

_"Look," his voice darkened, grip tightening even further, "I don't want to have to hurt you but I needed this job and if you're going to pay me one way or another."_

_She was about to attempt another escape when she heard a click and felt the pressure of cold steel on her neck._

_"Don't tempt me." When he was certain she'd stopped resisting he nodded, "Let's move. Maybe if you're a good girl I'll name my boat after you."_

_Left with no choice she allowed him to march her through the thickest part of the smoke and out the other side. Her stinging eyes blinked furiously as one foot followed the other and while she couldn't exactly see she knew they were nearing her office. He motioned for her to open the door then shoved her none too gently inside. The door closed behind them, sealing out the smoke and she dragged in a much-needed breath of clean air._

_The breath nearly caught in her throat when she spotted something in the reflective surface of her trash can. Mr. B was crouched just out of sight, gun aimed directly at them. Quickly, she averted her eyes and attempted to keep her emotions under control. Stray details flitted through her head forming an uncomfortable picture._  
_He had recommended Sullivan for the job. He had informed her Sullivan passed the background check. Had defended him, even tonight, as a "good man" who shouldn't be fired. Not to mention it was HIS reticence that prompted the one question rule. The rule that now left her knowing next to nothing about who he was and what his intentions may or may not be. _

_Whatever happened next she had nobody to blame but herself._

_If Sullivan was aware of the other person's presence in the room he said nothing, but continued prodding Bren forward toward the safe._

_"HEY!" the shout came from the door._

_"Ange, no!" Brennan warned sharply._

_Keeping the gun trained on Brennan, Sullivan turned, then sneered and continued on toward his goal._

_"Stop," Angela commanded. "I'm warning you now I might not have a gun but I can spit with deadly accuracy."_

_Sullivan threw back his head at that and laughed._

_Weighing every single factor in her head - including the unknown quantity - Bren seized the moment of distraction to mash the heel of her platform shoe into her attacker's foot. He gave a howl of pain, followed by a grunt as her elbow connected with his kidney. The gun clattered across the floor but Sullivan reached out for Bren instead, catching her by the throat and effectively cutting off her air supply._

_"Enough!" Mr. B emerged from the shadows, at last revealing himself._


	24. I Am the Walrus

**A/N: Thanks to all who continue reading this and Happy Thanksgiving to all celebrating this weekend. There's more than one kind of family and some of you I count among my nearest and dearest. Hubby has off for the next 10 days so I can't promise an update for next week as I'm not sure what our plans are but I'll keep chipping away at it and get it to you when it's ready.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Gum :)**

I Am the Walrus

_"Who are you?"_

The words hung in the air between them and Booth could tell by the expression on her face that he'd said the wrong thing. He also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was her voice - her screams - that had called him back. Though he was a little hazy on exactly where he'd been brought back to.

"I-I should go get the nurse," she stammered, rising quickly and turning her face away from him.

"Wait," his hand reached out, brushing her arm.

Fatigue made his voice sound weaker than he felt. The journey back from wherever he'd been to wherever he was now had felt like an uphill climb and the foggy cloud that had settled in his brain upon awakening hadn't quite cleared yet, but he _knew _her and the last thing he wanted was for her to leave. Slowly, she turned back, warily meeting his eyes.

"You," his brow furrowed, "you look like Bren, but it's- it's so confusing. So real."

At the mention of that name, she straightened ever so slightly and squinted at him, "What's the last thing you remember?"

He could feel the furrows deepen along with his frown as he strained for the answer. Closing his eyes didn't help, though, because it felt like there were two films being played in his head at once. "There was a fire, but there was a classroom too. I can't-" he shook his head, "I don't understand it."

"You've been in a coma for four days," her voice remained steady, like a rock for him to cling to despite the tumultuous state of his own mind. "Any dreams you may have experienced during that time could've been quite vivid."

He nodded, a hint of understanding dawning for the first time. If one of the movies playing was really just a dream than the only thing he had to figure out was which was real and which wasn't. For a long moment they said nothing more and he studied her face; a face so familiar and yet so foreign it nearly crushed him. Bren was the only name for her that surfaced at the moment, however, and clearly that one made her uncomfortable so he said nothing.

"I really should get the nurse," she told him gently.

With great effort he reached his hand up to cover hers, eyes all but pleading when he asked, "You'll be back, though?"

"Of course," she assured him, turning her hand over so she could squeeze his.

The contact was so warm, so familiar, that for a moment he felt that all was right with the world after all. The cool air that filled his palm as she pulled away left him with an emptiness, followed by a tsunami of uncertainty once the door clicked shut behind her.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

Temperance was able to maintain her composure up until she slipped out of the room. Even then, it was only a nervous shudder and one lone tear dripping down her cheek that gave any of her pain away. Once she was beyond the glass door of his room she sagged against a wall and took stock of the situation.

Booth was awake. Awake and alert. Awake and alert and confused.

She was confused too. First he'd asked her who she was but no less than five minutes later he'd called her Bren. The only person to ever call her by than name was Angela, back in the early days of their working together, but she'd liked the shortened moniker enough to give it to the character in the short story she'd been writing over the last four days. The only rational conclusion was that he'd heard her reading it to him and his comatose mind had constructed a dream world built on that environment.

According to his doctors there had been no significant loss of oxygen to the brain following the heart attack Booth had suffered during the valvuloplasty, she reminded herself, therefore it was most likely not retrograde amnesia. As her feet guided her to the nurses' desk she pondered what the problem could be and what her response should be. Clearly not knowing who she was hadn't made him want to dismiss her, but quite the opposite. His grip wasn't as strong as she was used to, but he'd clung to her nonetheless when she offered her hand and there was uncertainty in his eyes when he'd asked if she would be returning.

"Can I help you, Sweetie?" asked the night nurse, breaking her reverie.

Temperance nodded, licking her suddenly dry lips as she answered, "Yes." A small smile curved the edges of her mouth at the comfort that small word brought her and she spoke with renewed confidence, "Yes, Seeley is awake and alert."

"That's wonderful, Temperance!" Nurse Addy broke into her own wide grin at that, knowing how steadfastly the woman in front of her had been waiting for this moment. "Best not keep him waiting on us, then!"

Unbeknownst to the two women, however, Seeley Booth was not waiting on either of them, but instead was thoroughly engrossed in the document she'd left open on the laptop she'd abandoned on his bedside table.

**B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B**

"Enough!"

_The single word rang through the room, bringing everyone to a grinding halt._

_"Nice," Sullivan's eyes gleamed though he did nothing to loosen his grip on Bren's trachea. "Come to get your piece of the pie too, Booth?"_

_"Sully," the other man warned darkly._

_"Oops," Sullivan mocked, "did I just bust your secret identity? So sorry."_

_"Let her go, Sul," Booth nodded at Bren._

_"Or what?" he challenged Booth. "You'll shoot me? Get more blood on your hands?"_

_"If I have to," there was no emotion in the response, only the clear statement of a fact._

_The seconds dragged out and outside the stare-down Angela didn't dare to move for fear of sparking the powder keg; though she desperately wanted to. Despite the gun still trained on his temple, Sullivan's chin jutted up ever so slightly in challenge to the other man even as his thumb pressed down harder still._

_To the hostesses' mixed dismay and horror, Mr. B lowered his weapon, conceding defeat._

_Sullivan let out another cruel laugh that morphed into a gasp when the bullet Booth loosed without warning buried itself in his calf. He swung wildly as the other man charged him but was easily deflected and crumpled in pain at the well-aimed kick to his injured leg._

_Bren, meanwhile, found herself yanked back from the brink of blacking out and gulped in air as fast as she dared while Booth held her steady, his body shielding her from her attacker on the minute chance that he would attempt to strike again._

_"You're safe now," her rescuer assured her, pulling her close and stroking her hair soothingly. "You're going to be okay."_

_She nodded into his chest, not yet trusting her voice, but despite all the confusion still trusting the man who held her. His heart beat strong and steady in her ear, its cadence draining the tension from her beat by beat. Bren was vaguely aware of him reaching into his pocket for his phone and of the rumbling in his chest as he ordered his brother on the scene ASAP._

_A boot scraped against the floor and the cool of the room hit her like a closed fist as Booth released her to curtail Sullivan's weak escape attempt. Angela was aware enough to pass Booth a decorative cord from one of the drapes and as quickly as it had started it was over, with Sullivan bound and shoved in a corner; a rude tourniquet tied just a tad too tightly around his calf, though the medics made no mention of it as they loaded him onto a gurney and carted him away under police escort._

_Bren, meanwhile, had found her own way to her couch and was sitting down, attempting not to shiver from the release of adrenaline and failing miserably. Angela gently wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sat down beside her for moral support. Around her the room buzzed with questions and answers flying back and forth between Booth and his brother and his brother's partner. A medic came to look at her too, pronouncing her to be fine and giving her a bottle of water to soothe her throat. Then Angela got up and gave her statement and Booth told them Bren would come in to give hers first thing in the morning._

_After what seemed like hours, the room grew quiet and the door snicked shut for the last time._

_"Bren?" he spoke softy as he joined her on the couch._

_Grey-blue eyes met brown. A wordless thank you was given and received._

_"Booth," his name fell from her lips as if she were trying it on him like an article of clothing. She tilted her head, "First or last name?"_

_Whatever he'd been expecting it hadn't been that question and he chuckled nervously, rubbing his palm across the short hairs on his neck as he answered, "Last. But that's what everyone calls me."_

_She nodded, assimilating that information even as she spoke again, "You dislike your first name?"_

_"More like it doesn't fit me," one shoulder rose and fell with the statement._

_"I can empathize," her eyes glittered with a small smile that shifted to a smirk. "Not many nightclub owners are named Temperance."_

_He gave a small snort and a smirk of his own, "Probably as many soldiers that are named Seeley."_

_They shared a laugh and a smile that lasted a few seconds longer than either meant it to._

_"So..."_

_She allowed the coordinating conjunction to dangle between them unfinished._

_"So," was his brief reply._

_They each paused but it was she who dared voice the question aloud._

_"What happens next?"_


	25. Anchor

**A/N: I fell into a black hole called "reality." I'm still working on this, though.**

**Enjoy!**

**~Gum :)**

Anchor (by Mindy Gledhill)

What Temperance wanted was time and space. Time to deal with the emotional deluge that pressed her on every side. Space so that she could compartmentalize and be strong for her family. The urge to run and seek both pulled heavily on her but the longer she stood rooted in the hallway just outside his door, the louder the voices filtering from the room sounded in her ears. Patient, clinical questions came one after the other but the replies sounded weak and confused. Gone was his sure, easy confidence and quick wit and while she couldn't make out his words she could sense the mounting frustration behind them.

Before long the compulsion to look in on him outweighed everything else and she covered the distance with a few short, quick steps. The bed was propped up so that was witting as a team of nurses swarmed about, running tests and taking readings. The cardiologist was there along with an anesthesiologist and two intern. As for their patient, he was still slightly pale, his face a mask of confusion as his eyes roved to and fro, never settling anywhere for too long.

She stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do next when his neck craned to see beyond the crowd of doctors. As their eyes collided the lost look in his eyes vanished, lighting up as a wide grin spread across his face. With new found resolve she steeled her nerves and strode into the room without so much as a side glance at those parting for her. His hand reached out as far as it could and she laced her fingers with his before turning to the doctors.

"Stop," her voice was quiet, but firm as her eyes sized up each of the doctors as if they were specimens in her lab.

Silence and a fair amount of squirming on the young interns' part ensued and she gave a curt nod of satisfaction before turning to her husband.

"Tell me what's happening," she invited him gently, then hurried to cup his jaw with her free hand and hold it so his gaze was locked on hers. "Tell me and nobody else, Seeley, the way we've talked a thousand times before."

"It doesn't make sense," his eyes weren't as clouded with confusion as they had been when he first woke up but he was still clearly disoriented.

"You're fond of telling me life rarely does," her lips curled into a rueful grin and for a brief second he seemed to smile back. When he said nothing, though, she prodded yet again, "Tell me. Tell me who you see when you see me."

Once more he opened his mouth and floundered for a response but found nothing. She could sense the growing tension in the room and knew the medical personal would only let her continue for so long before stepping in.

"Booth," she spoke their shared surname - the name of her friend and partner for the past decade - and in that moment she smiled as she asked him, "Booth what do you _feel_ when you see me?"

Another pause fell but he was quick to fill the silence, "Safe."

A small sigh was released by several parties and Temperance nodded, confident she'd found the key, "Yes, your safety is of utmost priority to me and has been for quite some time. And do you recognize me?" Here she added for clarification, "I'm not concerned about my name, but my face, Booth. Does it feel familiar to you?"

His head bobbed up and down as she placed his open palm on her face. Their eye contact was severed when his eyelids closed, but his rough finger pads traced her smooth skin with practiced ease.

"Yes, Booth," she nodded into his palm. "You know my face as well as your own. Is there anything else you feel when you see me?"

Slowly his eyes opened, meeting hers and plumbing their depths while a single word fell from his lips, "Love."

* * *

_Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan sat on the couch in her office, neither fully certain how to answer the question she'd posed._

_"How did you know Mr. Sullivan?" the query tumbled out more to break the stalemate than anything._

_He cleared his throat, "We, uh, we served together on this last tour. I helped him out of a few tough scrapes and he helped me. Sully," Booth ducked his head, brushing the short hairs on the back of his neck with his palm for the second time that night before releasing a sigh, "Sully had been down on his luck lately, so I-"_

_Bren watched him lift one shoulder and she understood, "You sought to ameliorate his financial woes by recommending him to a security position here."_

_His head jerked up, nodding as he earnestly sought her eyes, "I never thought he'd pull something like this."_

_The words were laced with self-deprecation and regret and she rushed to assure him she felt no ill will, "Of course you didn't. That much was evident in your actions."_

_"But you didn't know which side I was on," he accused her as much as he blamed himself. "I saw you when he dragged you in here. I saw your uncertainty."_

_She opened her mouth to defend herself. Closed it because she had no defense. "How did you know he would bring you here?" she asked instead._

_"The fire was a diversion," he explained. "Once I figured that out it was a 50/50 chance between him heading here or for the exit; but this is where the vault is so I took a chance."_

_"You gambled correctly."_

_Booth nodded soberly, "I had no clue he'd bring you up here, though."_

_"He knew I'd have the combination," she muttered to no one._

_"Right. You own the joint." His brow furrowed in thought, "That's why you sing, and tend bar, and run security, and manage the books, and do just about everything else around here, right?"_

_It was her turn to nod, though beyond that she wasn't sure what to add._

_"Does Max own it with you?" he guessed._

_Their debate about permits from earlier that night seemed ages away but she shook her head, "My father has no interest in The Lab except that it belongs to me. His opinion was that it would be an imprudent investment."_

_"Uh huh," he took this new information in stride as pieces of the puzzle of her fell into place. "Well you've managed to prove him wrong so far."_

_"So far," she gave a modest shrug. "I've certainly had help along the way."_

_Twin smiles broke out both of their faces at that remark and this time the silence that settled between them was one of familiar comfort. Booth leaned back, sinking into the couch as he considered the woman in front of him. From the beginning he'd known she was a firecracker; someone used to plowing forward and yielding to no one and he chuckled inwardly that one of his first thoughts had been that he pitied her boss. That she was the boss made perfect sense._

_Seeing Booth relax made Bren's stress levels decrease markedly as well and she too sank back into her side of the couch. She surreptitiously studied his face as he stared off into the distance, noting the slight flaring of his nostrils and the quirk of his lips. He'd found something amusing, apparently, though she was at a loss to determine what that could be. _

_What neither one of them realized was that the further they became lost in their own thoughts, the closer they drifted together. His hand, still remembering her warmth and softness, found hers and linked them. Her body, fatigued from the battering it had received, leaned once again toward the safety of his arms even as her head pillowed itself on his shoulder. _

_When Angela returned to check in on her friend she found the pair sleeping, side by side, legs outstretched on the coffee table in front of them. Carefully, she draped a blanket over them, turned out the lights, and locked up the rest of the club, informing the night guard that no one was to disturb Bren in her office. She didn't mention Mr. B's presence, but couldn't help but hope this was a small sign that her friend's mystery man, might just turn out to be the guy Bren had needed all along._


End file.
